Unintentional Fairytale
by iRocka
Summary: Prince charming can sometimes only be 'charming'. He could just be that high school jock, that rock band lead guitarist or that worst enemy who 'charms' his way. But for this prince, he figures out a new way to be that knight in shining armor... to LOVE.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

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**PROLOGUE**

"_For once in your damn life, Orton, can you please do something right? Can you please shut your big fat mouth so that the rest of us can live life as we should?" Riz screamed at the top of her lungs as she stood in the middle of catering face-to-face, or probably, face-to-chest, with Randy Orton. He was certainly pushing her buttons and sad to say, it was working. "Some of us around here don't have enough time and patience to tolerate your childishness!"_

"_Childishness? Me? I'm sorry, Riz, but if there's anyone here who's got enough brains to think, that's going to be me… At least I know how to define a man from a woman… How about you?" he pushed even further. He knew it was making her livid but he didn't care. He found amusement in making her seethe with anger. "You're a girl trying to act like a guy… You don't even know how to be a girly-girl when the need be… You go out into the world and act all tough but God and I know that you aren't all that tough… You're a actually a softie that doesn't let the people see you cry… And you want to know why?"_

"_Oh, please enlighten me with your 'knowledge'!" she replied sarcastically as she used air quotes on the word 'knowledge'. Her patience with him had been wearing thin over the past ten minutes and it wasn't doing her throbbing head any good. She'd tolerated every single one of his jabs for the past two years and literally, it was turning out to be too much now. Now that she's in a situation that nobody could really understand. "The great Randy Orton knows something that I don't about myself! Oh, please dare to enlighten me!"_

"_You pretend to act all tough and sarcastic… You act cool and you pretend everything's all right… Why? It's because you're weak but you don't let people see it… And face it, Cruz. I am your weakness… Right now, as you stand before me, you are feeling weaker by the moment and you know you can't stand me…" he played with her. Oh, he was asking for it. "You know you never were really a girl… You never had the 'feminine touch'… All you ever were was rough and tough and you play around with the big boys…"_

"_You want to know why I act all tough, Orton? You want to know why?" she had begun to raise her voice as the superstars surrounding them had slowly back away from the two. They knew it was never good to get in the middle of a raged Riz and a cocky Randy. "I only act all tough because you have to make me! What am I supposed to do? Fall down at your knees and beg? I don't think so… I'm not a girl who's willing to throw herself at you, Orton… You're nothing to me but a worm that I squish with my sneakers!"_

"_A worm that you squish with your sneakers? That's new… Face it, Riz. You're weak. Right now, I can see you faltering and going down as you slowly get to your knees and beg for me to satisfy you…" he said cockily. She was the only girl that never threw herself at him. She never even flirted with him. All they ever did was fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. That's how it was everyday. "If I'm not your weakness, Riz, then I want to know what… 'Cause you know you can never hide it from me…"_

"_My weakness? Right now, Orton, I don't care about weakness!" her voice was starting to croak as tears had begun to form in her eyes. There was water pooling around her brown eyes and her face was turning red. Her breathing had slowly become ragged and she bit her bottom lip every now and then. But her voice was still as demanding as ever even when it broke. "You don't understand the word weakness, Orton! You don't know the word sensitivity! All you've ever cared about was yourself and how well you get girls to fall at your feet!"_

"_I don't want to fall at your feet… I'm not your average girl who's willing to get herself laid just because you have an ego the size of Jupiter! Maybe, just maybe, you should think that I only act tough because I have problems I've yet to suppress! I don't live a perfect life like you, Orton… I don't live the crazy life like you do! I'm just your average girl! An average girl who has problems and knows she can face it on her own!" the tears had begun to fall down her cheeks. The superstars, even Randy, were shocked to ever see her break down like this in front of them. "I have enough things to deal with right now and I don't need you making it all heavier! So, if you don't mind, stop making it harder for me!"_

"_So, the boy does know how to cry…" he said as a joke. But apparently, she didn't quite take it as a joke. She glared at him with eyes pooling with tears of angst, hate and hurt. She didn't care about having to act strong and showing the world she could do everything. What she cared about now were the scratches that Randy was putting on her dignity. He had scarred her. "All the while I thought boys don't cry…" he said._

"_A-" she was about to shoot him back when a sudden ringing of her phone echoed through the room. She took the black N93 from the pocket of her black cargo pants and flipped it open. "Hello?" she said, mustering up the best steady voice she could. "Yes, this is she… Yes… Yes… Are you serious? Okay, I understand… Thank you, doctor…"_

_She flipped the phone shut and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. "Damn it fucking shit!" she cursed out loud as she threw her phone to Randy. It barely hit him by a centimeter and went crashing onto the wall behind him. She glared at the shocked man standing in front of her and took more deep breaths as the tears continuously flowed from her eyes. She shook her head and spun around on her heel. But after a couple of steps, she looked back and said, "Why do you have to make my life such a living hell?"_

_She spun around once again and walked to the door. On the way, she walked past a wall that she punched. The cement had an obvious crack in it and Riz's knuckles were bleeding. She steadied her breath before continuing to the door and leaving catering with all the superstars in it dumbfounded. She found herself running to the diva's locker room. But halfway there, she bumped into what seemed like a brick wall. But that brick wall had arms. And they hugged her tight as she cried into the shirt of whoever it was._

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**Hey guys! I know, I'm posting another story when Behind Aluminummy isn't even finished yet. But here's the thing, this story has been written for months now. And it's about time I posted it. So, kindly review the prologue please. If I don't get a lot of reviews, well, I don't think I'll post the rest. M'kay? Thankies.**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	2. Stepping Back

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

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**Chapter One: Stepping Back**

She shifted her weight from foot to foot and took deep breaths as she stretched her neck and arms. Here she was, standing inside a wrestling ring, with her usual workout attire: a pair of loose black jogging pants and a plain white fitted baby-tee with her white rubber shoes. Her shoulder-length dark brown hair was falling loose from the tight ponytail at the back of her head. The shorter strands were dangling across her face as her breaths made them fly off her face. She tucked her nose-length bangs behind her ears and concentrated.

"Okay, Ann, I want you to have a match against Fred over here… Just to test how much you've learned over the months…" Ray Peters, her world-renowned wrestling coach, said as he pointed to the other wrestler on the opposite corner. Ray was a man with short graying black hair, brown eyes and a pointed nose. He had thin lips and his body was getting thinner as each day passed, but his energy and strength never deteriorated no matter what.

The sound of the bell echoed through the gym as the other training wrestlers stopped what they were doing to watch the two in the ring. Fred took advantage of his size and weight and carried her onto his shoulders. She immediately countered with a shattering back-breaker. He stood up while holding his aching back and concentrated. He stalked her and grabbed her feet so she fell down on her back, but she once again countered as she placed his neck in between her ankles, twisted her body so her legs were crossed, and performed a hurricanrana on Fred.

Soon, she was the one getting the upper hand and was stalking Fred who was using the ropes to help him stand up. The people around them were cheering and Ray was jumping around the ring acting as referee. Fred got to his feet as she seized the moment to carry the man who was twice her weight on her shoulders. She spun him around to her front and pushed him down hard to the canvas so his back hit it so hard, he would ache for a couple of days. She saw his knocked out state and covered him for the pin. 1. 2. 3.

"Great job, Ann! You're done for the day!" Ray said. Oh, how she hated being called that name. She smiled at him before walking out the ring and to her gym bag that was on a bench near the weights area. She grabbed a towel and wiped her sweating body dry. She slung the towel onto her right shoulder and sat down on the bench. She grabbed her water bottle and took a couple of sips.

She was Ann Laurice Cruz, a 22 year-old Filipino-Spanish descent girl born on January 1, 1981. She had layered shoulder-length dark brown hair with some nose-length bangs to match. Her eyes were almond shaped and were a shade that was on the brink of brown and black. Her skin, it wasn't dark, it wasn't fair, it was just slightly tanned, and kind of like the color of coffee once you get a lot of milk mixed into it. She wasn't the tallest of women, probably tottering around 5"3 and 5"4. Her body, she wasn't that curvaceous. She was just right. Sure, she had a couple of curves here and there but not totally curved. Good enough front and behind, it was good. She was good.

She had graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Education, major in Mathematics when she was 21. After that, she decided to fly to L.A and join the wrestling school that was opened there a couple of years ago. She'd been an avid fan of wrestling for quite some time now and she'd been longing to try it first hand. So now, she'd been training for a good year and she'd learned a lot from Ray Peters.

Deciding it was time to go home since she'd done her duty for the day, which was to amaze everyone with how quickly she's learned to wrestle and even beat some of the guys, she packed all of her things and started to walk towards the door. She was about halfway there when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She looked back to find a man, probably around in his mid-thirties, wearing a pair of black slacks and a black polo, smiling at her.

"Excuse me, miss, but are you Ann?" he asked, offering her the warmest smile he could muster. "I've been hearing your name all day and seeing as it is that you are the only girl here right now, I was assuming that you are…" he continued as he looked on with oddly shining green eyes.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am…" she replied, closing the cap onto her water bottle and shoving it inside her bag. She looked at him and smiled back. "Could I do anything for you?" she asked, wondering particularly why he was asking her and why he'd been hearing her name all day long.

"Well, Ann, I'm Frankie McArthur, a scout for World Wrestling Entertainment. I've been watching you fight in that ring for three hours now and I must say I'm very impressed with your talent…" he said, catching her off-guard with his revelation. "Of all the wrestlers here, I think you're the best I've seen yet… So, maybe we could talk over a cup of coffee or so and probably discuss your possible future with the WWE?"

"Wha-… Wow! Forgive me… I am still out of breath… I mean, I never expected to hear that so soon…" she said, rather amazed by the fact that there was a WWE scout standing in front of her now and he was asking her to coffee to discuss her future with the WWE. For her, this was big-time.

"So soon?" he questioned, his eyebrow quirking up. She looked at him and thought that he deserved an explanation. So she said, "Well, I've only been in this wrestling school for like a year or so… So, this is quite a big leap for someone like me…" He understood. He was once like that, too. "So, how about that coffee?" he asked.

"Well, I'd be glad to discuss things with you… And please, call me Riz… I don't like being called Ann… It sounds too girly and formal…" she said as she held out her hand for him to shake as an official introduction. He chuckled at her comment at her given name and shook her hand while saying, "Well, let's get going then, Riz… Oh, and please call me Frankie…"

They had gone to a small café nearby and ordered themselves some coffees. They sat down in a booth and discussed random things. They discussed about how she would like to join the WWE and be a diva; about how she was even interested in wrestling; about how she thought she could make it so far in the business; about her achievements; about where she came from and just mostly about her and who she was and how she was connected to wrestling.

"So, let me get this straight… You've been watching wrestling since you were a teen and you simply 'fell in love with it'…" he repeated what she said and used air quotes to emphasize the phrase. "After you graduated from college, you flew here to L.A. and grabbed the spot you could get in wrestling school… And now, your dream is to enter the WWE and be a part of one of the greatest businesses alive, am I right?"

"Yep! It's all I've ever wanted… I know I can make it in if I just work hard enough… And when I'm there, I'll never cease to improve… because you know, I'm a person who reaches for what people think are unattainable… As what I like to say, unattainable is intriguing… So, I aim for the best… Even if I have to work my way up from so low to get up there…" she explained the belief she's believed in for so long now to him.

"Well, I'm proud to say, Riz, that you've gone one step closer to that dream… Because judging from what I hear, you're exactly what we need in the WWE… So, I'm going to schedule an interview between you, Mr. McMahon and Steph so that you can discuss your contract, if ever you could impress them… We'll fly over to New York, tomorrow if we can, to meet them… Is that going to be alright with you?" he asked, catching her off-guard for the second time that day.

"Not to be rude or anything, Frankie, but you sure do have a knack for surprising me now, do ya?" she joked after she got out of her perpetual state of shock. They both burst out in laughter at the joke. "'Cause you always seem to catch me off-guard for some odd reason…" she said. He let out another soft chuckle. "But, yes, it's alright with me… So, we're going to be off tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yeah… I'll meet you at LAX at 5 AM so that we can catch our flight at 7… Is that okay with you or is it too early?" he asked, rather unsure of whether she'd already be awake at that time of the day. After all, it was only in the WWE that you'd have an irregular timetable due to all the flights and stuff to do. Tiring job, wasn't it?

"That's alright with me… It's a little early but I'll try to get there in time… So, uum… It's kinda like 6 PM already so I better get home and pack for tomorrow… I'll see you then?" she said as she began to stand up and grab her things. "I'd still have some things to finish at home and I don't want too sleep too late so that I would wake up early tomorrow…" she explained.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Riz… And congratulations… Not many people get this interview, so you should really be proud of yourself… It's an opportunity for you to fulfill that dream that you've always wanted to…" Frankie said as he stood up to shake her hand. "I know Vince will love you… You're a great girl…"

She shook his hand and smiled at him. "Thanks, Frankie… That means a lot coming from you… I'd better get going… Bye now! I'll see you tomorrow…" she said as she walked away from him and left the café. She walked all the way home with the smile permanently etched on her face. Today was a good day. No matter what happened, today was a definite good day.

The next morning, even before daybreak, Riz was already up. She had, unfortunately, missed dinner last night due to her excitement. She had been packing all night for her little trip to NYC and now, she was double-checking all her things. She didn't want to leave anything behind. Her stomach was rumbling, but that didn't bother her. She could get perhaps a donut and some coffee at the airport. It was already half an hour to 5 AM and if she didn't leave soon, she would be late.

Grabbing her navy blue jacket and putting it over her black baby-tee, she grabbed her black Echolac luggage and her black Bench body bag before leaving her apartment. She slipped a black cap over her head and proceeded to the car she had rented the night before so that transportation wouldn't be such a big issue. It was a silver Pontiac Solstice roadster with black leather seats. She placed her things in the trunk and her body bag in the driver's passenger seat. After which, she walked over and climbed into the driver's seat.

She started up the car and sped off to LAX. The flight to New York was approximately 3 hours. So, they'd be there at around 10. Not bad. It would still be pretty chilly, not to mention snowing, in New York since it was only December 27th. Yep. Riz went home for the holidays but came back immediately on the 25th to resume her training. She was a dedicated wrestler, not to mention a talented one, too. She sped into the airport parking lot and parked her car.

She climbed out and grabbed her things. Butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach for some odd reason, and it wasn't hunger. Food was the last thing on her mind right now. It was sheer nervousness. What if Vince McMahon didn't like her? What if she would suddenly stutter because she was so intimidated by him? What if Stephanie McMahon fires so many questions at her? What if she would accidentally trip or say something undesirable?

She surrendered her keys to the rental shop there and paid her dues. After which, she walked into the airport and craned her neck. It was 5 AM on the dot so Frankie must've been there already. She looked around some more and found him sitting in one of the waiting chairs there. She walked over to him and gave him a heartfelt, "Hi!"

"Oh! Hey there, Riz!" Frankie said as he stood up to shake her hand. "Are you all set to go?" he asked, offering the most caring smile she'd seen that day. "We've still got to check in since they just reserved seats for us…"

"Hell yeah! I'm excited as hell! " Riz said, the smile evident on her face. Her pearly whites were very much seen and she had this certain glow to her. It must've been the thought that she's going to be on a plane to New York in a couple of hours and she's going to be in the same room with Vince and Stephanie McMahon in another couple of hours. She was practically on her toes in delight.

The two checked in and got their business class seats paid for by the WWE. They proceeded to the waiting lounge where there were only minimal people. Their flight was at the same time as the time when the airport would be almost empty and not many people were going to be flying to New York that day. While Frankie decided to read that day's newspaper, Riz decided to fill up her stomach some. She walked over to the nearest Starbucks shop and grabbed herself a honey-glazed donut and a latte.

She paid for her meal and sat down on one of the seats. She had left her luggage back with Frankie and she had only brought her body bag with her. As she was nibbling on her donut and sipping her latte, she brought out her black Motorola Razr that had Z customized on the back in black Swarovski crystals. It was a swirly Z that kind of curled at the top and at the bottom. She flipped her phone open and saw that she had one message:

_Heya, sis! Your big sis here checking up on you… I got your message… Guess I must've been asleep when you called… Good thing you left a message on the answering machine! I've told mom and dada about your interview and they're so happy for you! Call me soon, okay, noodle? I've got to hear everything that happens… Oh, and btw, our pest of a brother, Koko, Haha… kidding… Rico, he says hi… and asks for an autograph from… John Cena, was that? Yeah… you know, I still don't get why you two love wrestling so much… Anyway, tah-tah darling! I've got to go do some chores… I heart you! –mingo_

If in case you might be wondering, Riz's sister's name isn't mingo and Riz's other nickname isn't noodle. It's just a little inside joke of theirs. Her sister, Celine Alexandra Cruz, is two years older than her. Their younger brother, Rico Carlo Cruz, is only seventeen. He's a senior in an exclusive boys school in Manila. The three siblings were the closest ever. Celine, a graduate from Ateneo de Manila, now runs their family's little insurance business. Rico, who had been accepted in the University of Santo Tomas, plans to take up Chemical Engineering. They were an excelling little bunch and their parents were very proud of them. Although, it was only Riz who preferred a job that was worlds different from her course.

_Mingo! I'm at LAX… I was too excited this morning that I didn't realize you had sent me a msg… Anywho, tell mom and dada that I'll update them on my interview once its done… Oh, and tell Koko that there is no chance in the world that I'm getting him Cena's autograph… Haha… I'm sure that'll give him quite a downer… Haha… I'll call you after the interview, 'kay? I don't know what time it is there so anyways, I'll just call you or leave a msg or whatever… Love yah, mingo! –noodle_

She sent a reply to her older sister. She actually felt rather homesick. She's only been home in time for the _simbang gabi_, a nine-day novena by dawn or late night masses; also called _misa de gallo_, and Christmas Eve. She had flown back to the States on the afternoon of the 25th. Ray himself called her back. So, she missed her family. She only went home during the holidays. The rest of the year, she only went home when she was called back.

Realizing that Frankie and hers flight was being called; she stood up and discarded her trash in the nearest trash bin. She shut off her Razr and shoved it back into her body bag. She walked the whole way back to where Frankie was sitting and waiting for her to return. In no time, they were gathering their things and before handing the attendant their tickets. Yep. This was it; the first few steps to her dream. It all began here.

They sat in their seats and put their luggage in the overhead bin. They got comfy in their seats, wore their seatbelts and relaxed. Business class wasn't the same as the Economy seats Riz always took. It was a lot comfier and cooler in business class. The plane soon took off and there they went. It was the beginning of what they expected to be a comfortable three-hour flight to New York City.

But then again, maybe it wasn't so comfortable. They had hit minor turbulence at least four times in the three hours and it wasn't helping Riz's throbbing head. It wasn't that she had a severe case of motion sickness, but think of it this way; almost everyone on that plane was already feeling nauseous from the ride. They couldn't eat their served brunch and even the flight attendants had to take some medicine so that their headaches would go away.

Three excruciating hours later, the plane finally landed in New York. The torture was finally over. This was, by far, the worst plane ride ever. Who would've expected four turbulence hits at 8 AM in the morning? As the passengers were filing off the plane, Frankie and Riz grabbed their things and proceeded to leaving the airport. "Dry land, it has never felt so good…" Riz joked, in which Frankie laughed at.

They rode the complimentary limousine to the Marriott hotel where all the WWE superstars were staying for their house show in NYC. The ride, it was pretty much quiet. But Frankie took the initiative to give her some helpful hints every now and then. "I must remind you that if Vince is in a bad mood, he doesn't tolerate people… but I'm sure Steph will be able to handle that… If you're lucky, you may be able to start your job, provided you are accepted, here in NYC during the house shows…" he says every now and then. Riz just nods.

"Once we get to the hotel, you and I will check in… You have your own room… Then, Vince wants to talk to you over lunch so you'd best get ready… Dress in semi-formal since Steph and Vince usually have their lunch in restaurants, so it's best to dress safely… You'd probably meet some superstars on the way; so, I'll introduce you to them… A-…" Frankie stopped talking when he noticed her fiddling with her fingers. "Are you nervous?" he asked her, a slight smile crawling onto his face. It was an amusing sight, seeing a new girl like her acting as if she was just asked to jump of the Empire State Building.

"Me? No!" she said rather defensively. "Then again… Maybe, yeah, I am nervous… Well, whom can you blame? I'm meeting Vince McMahon here and he's going to be interviewing me! If I do anything wrong, my dream goes pfft like a mist in the night sky!" she said, obviously worried about what was to happen later on that day.

"Don't worry, Riz… Just act natural… No cheesy lines, no fake information… Just go with the flow… Judging from when we talked back in L.A., you have nothing to be worried about… You can do it… You're talented in the ring and with your mouth… And use that sense of humor to probably lure Vince in… He likes people with a good sense of humor… They make the day lighter… Just be yourself! Don't be scared…" he comforted. She smiled and nodded.

Lunchtime had rolled by and Riz, wearing a simple pair of black slacks and a white three-fourths sleeve polo with simple black shoes to complete the look, found herself at Madison Square Gardens. The WWE had a show there tonight and it wasn't a big shocker that most of the superstars were there, stretching or training for the show. Though, of course, it was inevitable that some had shows or signings to do at a Wal-mart or something. On the way to Vince's office, with her head still in the clouds, Riz bumped into someone and she went flying back.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" the voice said. She opened her eyes to see John Cena extending a hand out for her to pull herself up. She was just in shock for about a second when she took his hand and stood up. "I didn't see you coming… I'm so sorry… Are you hurt or anything?" he asked, obviously concerned. She smiled a little at his concerned and shook her head. "Nah… I'm aiiite… I was just kinda spacing out 'cause I couldn't find Mr. McMahon's office and Frankie kinda left me here…" she said.

"Oh, so you're the girl that he was talking 'bout! Yeah, Riz, right?" he said with a smile. She nodded and smiled back. "Well, I've heard that your pretty damn good… heard that you even kicked a couple of guy's asses back in ye ol' wrestling school…" he said. "Well, ya best not be late for your interview with Vince… C'mon, I'll take you there…"

She couldn't help but agree. Compared to her 5"4 stature, John towered over her with his 6"1. So, maybe she did feel a little vertically challenged here but she didn't care. The first superstar she'd met was John Cena. And that was a good way to start a career. John Cena, right? Brown hair, baby blue eyes, buff physique and current top heel of the business? They walked side by side as they passed through various hallways. They had met a couple of superstars on the way and some had even thought she was his niece or something of the like. She had met, so far; Trish Stratus, Paul Levesque (HHH), Dave Bautista, Mark Calloway (Undertaker) and Shawn Michaels. It was a good day.

"Well, here's the big man's office…" John said as they came across a room that said 'Chairman: Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon' on the door. He knocked on the door for her and whispered, "Good luck…" with a smile before leaving her there. There was a 'Come in.' that came from the room.

Riz opened the door and saw Vincent Kennedy McMahon sitting there on his leather chair behind a grand oak desk. Beside him stood the General Manager of RAW and his daughter, Stephanie McMahon. "Ah, I presume you are Ms. Cruz, right? Frankie told me you'd be coming in for an interview today!" Vince said with a smile. _He's in a good mood… Good…_ Riz said to herself.

"Yes, sir… I'm Ann Laurice Cruz… You can call me Riz for short…" she said as she stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. "I, kind of lost Frankie in the crowd back there and luckily I still made it here in one piece…" she joked as Vince and Steph let out a little laugh. Frankie, always the missing guy.

"Well, it's a pleasure to have you here today, Riz… I'm Stephanie McMahon… You can call me Steph… This is my dad, the chairman of the WWE, Vince McMahon… You can call him Vince…" Steph said. She was had long brunette hair and the sweetest smile you could imagine. She looked like an America's sweetheart kind of girl. "We should get going… We will be eating lunch in Chez Pierre… There, we can interview you…"

Chez Pierre was a fancy French restaurant. It was far from the usual McDonalds and Starbucks that Riz usually spent most of her time in. This was high society eating and it was lovely! Not to mention expensive, too. The three had eaten their food and had talked over some things, particularly Riz's educational background, her family, her wrestling experience and her interest in the business. So far, she had impressed Vince and Steph. She was a good speaker, not to mention hilarious, too.

The two McMahons had just calmed down after a burst of laughter from one of Riz's witty comments. They looked at each other and smiled. Then, they looked at Riz.

"…If you'd just sign this contract…" Vince said. "You'll officially be starting your career as a WWE diva…" he handed her a clipboard with some papers. "Are you serious?" she asked, still in shock. Vince and Steph nodded with the biggest smiles you could imagine. After flipping through the papers, Riz took her trademark black Parker pen from her pocket and signed the contract with a huge smile plastered onto her face.

"Congratulations, Riz!" Steph said. "You are now a member of the RAW roster!"

"I want you to officially debut tonight on RAW Live! I want to push you up the roster, but you have to start at the beginning! I can see a future in you, Riz! A very bright one!" Vince said. He had this glint in his eyes that simply said 'idea forming'. Steph was the same. They were talking about how she'd debut on RAW. Sure, she'd have to start from the bottom, but hey! It was going to be worth it! After sharing a celebratory toast, Riz thought:

_Yep... This is a very good day..._

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**Hello, dear people reading this story. I was actually very shocked to see the review reaction of people to the prologue. I didn't really expect that many reviews but hey! I'm not one to complain! Haha. Well, this chapter is 'kind of' boring since we're just tracing back to Riz's past. It's like… A flashback to keep the story running smoothly. M'kay? Now, you're done reading the whole chapter… time to review! Yay!**

**Happy reviewing!**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	3. The Day I Met Him

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

* * *

**Chapter Two: The Day I Met Him**

Riz stood there inside a locker room she had been shoved into. They had told her to change into whatever she could find inside the closet that was there. She had gone through all of the clothes and presumed them all to be 'diva' clothes. Diva. Meaning: girly-girl. Riz wasn't a girly-girl. She had some feminine touches but she wasn't the biggest fan of short clothes. All she saw inside that closet were short miniskirts, revealing tank tops and halters with 'sexy' stitched onto the front. Ugh. So not her style.

She scanned further into the closet and found a desired outfit. She slipped on a pair of loose fitting Lee jeans that had a rip on the left knee and some paint splatters on the right leg. She chose a green camouflage RRJ baby-tee that had a black G.I. Jane stitched onto a green cloth badge that was on the left chest. She wore the rubber shoes that she brought in case of emergency; a pair of white Skechers rubber shoes that had black laces. To accentuate her style, she slipped a tattered white denim belt through her belt loops and fastened it securely. She grabbed a white Roxy baseball cap that had black paint splatters and placed it slanted onto her head.

Feeling that her arms were pretty bare, she took two white Chain Gang, John Cena's proposed 'group', wristbands and reversed them to hide the logo. She placed them on either wrist and adjusted them to her liking. She looked around the locker room and saw that there was particularly nothing to do. She reached into her black Bench body bag and pulled out her iPod and Razr. She slipped the earphones on and began to blast 'Get On The Dance Floor' by Ciara. She flipped her Razr open and saw a couple of messages from family and friends.

_Noodle! Yeah, I know, I'm so excited for you! How did it go? Do I get to move into Forbes Park and have so many bodyguards 'coz my lil sis is a WWE diva? Or do I have to stay here at home and have to tolerate Koko? Haha… Text me soon, noodle! I heart you! –mingo_

_Rizriz! Yeah, it's your bestie, nikka, here… Got a new number so you may want to save it so you and I can text day and night like before… I heard from the grapevine that you got an interview with the WWE! You go, girl! msg me soon about how it went, okay? I miss you like hell! Last I saw you was before Christmas… Well, at least we got to go shopping… hehe… te quiero, mi amiga!_

(a/n: the term "ate" means older sister in Filipino. It is pronounced as a-te.)

_Ate Riz! Yeah, didn't expect a msg from me now did ya? Well, what's a lil bro to do? Sit here and think about how my big sis is probably talking to John Cena right now? Wait… Did you get me an autograph of Cena already? I want it! Please, ate… I want his autograph here in my hands the next time you come home… Which I hope is soon… Mom and dad are annoying and ate Lin is… irritating! Ü_

Looks like she was missed back home. Truth of the matter is that she never wanted to leave home. She wanted to stay there and take care of her mom and dad. She could probably help her sister with the family business or teach in her alma mater. It used to be her dream to teach, and she did for a short while. It was a part-time job in her alma mater as a Math teacher. But the next year, she became an English teacher. Both were in high school. She loved her job, but she had a higher dream to go after. She typed in some replies to her family and friends.

_Hey, mingo! I've got some news to tell you… You better start looking for lots in Forbes Park! Haha… Kidding… But yes, I got the job! And I'm gonna debut tonight! As someone's valet… Too bad it's three weeks delayed there in the Phils… You can't see me debut tonight with… whoever… Anywho, I've got to go… Got some other texts to reply to… Love yah, mingo! –noodle_

_Niknik! Yeah, I am already saving your number so I can bother you anytime! Whoo! …And yes, I did get an interview with the WWE! And to tell you how it went, it was fantastic! I got the job! Yay me! Haha… I miss you, too, Nik… Actually, I haven't been away from home for what, like three days and I already miss you guys! …And about the shopping… You mean person! You used my credit card! Well, it's only fair since I used yours, too… Haha… I've got to go… adios, amiga!_

_Koko!… Haha… Kidding… Hey, Rico! Yes, I have talked to your 'legendary' John Cena and he was pretty nice… Too bad I ain't so you're not getting an autograph! Bwahaha… Mean sister, ain't I? I know you still love me… Anyways… ate Lin is just concerned, and so are mom and dad…So, until you're eighteen, you're stuck with them! Live with it! Haha… Buh-bye now! Text you later! Ü_

She laughed as she pictured her little brother's face when he would read her message. Ever since she had started training for wrestling, he had been pushing her to get into the WWE so that he could meet his idol, John Cena. Amazing how teens would see him as an 'icon'. She opened her gallery and flipped through some pictures. Some of her and her friends; her and her bestie; her and her sis; her and her brother; her parents; and some of other people. Of course, there were also pictures of her German Shepherd, Cali. She had named him after her favorite, well one of them, places in the world, California.

She was taken out of her reverie when the door swung open and in walked Steph and John Cena. They smiled at her and waved. She took her earphones out and flipped her phone closed as she waved back and said, "Hey! Uum… I see that you have something up for me, Steph…"

"Well, yeah… I was thinking of making you either a member of D-Generation X with Paul, Shawn and Chynna or John Cena's girl… I weighed out the pros and the cons… And seeing as it is that DX already has a female in their group, I decided on Cena… Then, coincidentally, John comes barging into my office and asks if ever you got the job… I said yes… Then, he asked if he could have you as a valet since you looked 'like a Chain Gang Soldier'… And yes, apparently, and unfortunately, for the next couple of months, you'd have to tolerate John Cena and his crazy antics…" Steph said.

John hit Steph playfully on the arm and said, "What a nice way to introduce me, Steph… Thanks a lot and good goin'…" He looked at Riz and smiled at her, "Well, are you okay with being my valet? 'Coz I thought you looked fit to be on my team… So, uum, and I had a good feeling that you'd get the job… It's aiiite if you don't want to be… I ain't forcin' ya…" he said.

"Well, I've got just about one thing to say, Cena…" Riz said as she walked closer to him. She looked down and smiled before shoving her iPod and phone inside her pockets. She took off the wristbands on her wrists and reversed them. "Looks like I won't be needing to reverse these Chain Gang wristbands…" she said as she saw a smile come to his face. She slipped the wristbands back on and adjusted them to make sure that the Chain Gang logo was highly noticeable.

"That's set then!" Steph said with a clap of her hands. "I'll leave you two to get better acquainted! Oh, and Riz, you'll be staying in the Women's locker room with the rest of the divas, okay? This is kind of like the costume room… So, you two better go on and practice your parts! Here are your scripts!" she handed them two bunches of paper. "Cheerio!" she said before leaving the room.

"How much time do we have until RAW starts?" Riz asked, flipping through the pages of her script. "This looks like one hell of a show…" she said, commenting on the length of the lines and the number of pages they ran on. "Are you sure we can get this all down pat by the time we have to go on air? I mean… This may sound stupid but this is a long script…"

"Well, Captain Obvious, we've got exactly three hours until RAW starts and four and a half hours until we have to come out and grace the world with our presence… So, let's head off outside and practice our lines, aite? I don't feel so comfortable rehearsing inside a costume room…" John said with a bit of playfulness. Hey! It was the girl's first day on the job. At least he was nice enough to make her laugh, even if just a little.

She laughed a little at his actions. If this were one of John Cena's crazy antics, then she would be very happy to go along with them for the next few months. She grabbed her bag and slung it around her body before walking out with John to find a nice place to practice and rehearse. They found a couple of equipment crates not far from the locker room and decided to rest there and practice. They ran through all their lines and how they were supposed to do everything. John even showed her how to act all goofy, and that made her laugh so hard, she caught tears sliding down her face.

Thirty minutes before the show, they had memorized all their lines and rehearsed every single part of the act five times. She was beginning to fumble with her fingers as she felt butterflies swirl in her stomach. She began to bite her lips constantly and check her phone for the current time every ten seconds. "Nervous?" John inquired as he walked her to the Women's locker room where she would need to fix up even further.

"Wow, was I making it that obvious? To think I was trying to hide it so badly!" she said, a slight twinge of sarcasm noted in her voice. It wasn't that she was trying to be sarcastic or push him away; it was just that that's how she would often react whenever she was nervous or scared. Even when she was annoyed, she would be sarcastic. It was just her nature to be somewhat defensive. "I'm sorry, John… It's just… I'm not used to being shown to big crowds… I usually just appear in small crowds… And yeah, you think you weren't nervous on your debut…"

"It's no problem, Riz… Everyone in the WWE went through that stage… Hell, you'd think we were all so unafraid but we really are nervous before going onstage… You know, the fear of getting things wrong or trippin' onstage or whatever… It's scary sometimes… But you've got to face your fear and think about what brings you out there to the stage… What does drive you to be here?" he asked as they passed a couple more crates.

"Well… Since before, when I've watched people wrestle, I've always envied them… You know, you get to feel the adrenaline rush whenever you go out there… You can show people you're strong and you can back it up… You can compete with others for titles and you can be the best you can be…You can entertain the people by doing what you love to do… You can go beyond limits and get through all your worst fears in that ring…" she said, getting very full of expression and desire.

John saw the passion judging by the tone of her voice. From there, he could say that she will go far in the business; there was no doubt about that. "Well, use that to think that you can do it… You can overcome this fear and be the best you can be… The adrenaline rush, bah, it's nothin'… What will really drive you is the reason why you wrestle… You want to entertain people and push yourself beyond limits and excel… And that's why you're goin' out there with me later on tonight… 'Cause you want to see the people smile…" he said, offering her a comforting smile as they stopped in front of the Women's locker room.

"Thanks, John… I think I can handle it now… So, uum… I'll see you out there in a while? I think I better go in a acquaint myself with some of the other divas since I'll be traveling with them for some time… And I think I'd better spruce myself up so that I'd look good…" she said as she motioned her head towards the locker room door.

"Yeah, I think you'd better acquaint yourself, too… I've got a little something for you… It's for good luck and you know, so that you'd feel less afraid…" John said as he grabbed inside his shirt and pulled off his dog tags. He placed them around her neck and smiled. "I've got my padlock anyways… I think you'd need these more than I do…" he said. She smiled up to him and gave him a hug.

She said thanks before turning to enter the locker room. He had left and walked to the Men's locker room to get ready as well. Riz, upon entering the locker room, was greeted by the divas. Trish Stratus approached her and said, "Hi, Riz! I'm Trish… Full name is Patricia Stratigias… Screen name is Trish Stratus… You can call me by any nickname you want…"

"Hey, Trish… I'm Riz… Uum, yeah, my full name is Ann Laurice Cruz… Riz, for short… My screen name is going to be Riz, too… and yeah, you can call me whatever you want but I'd prefer it if you'd call me Riz…" she said, imitating the older woman's introduction. The rest of the group introduced themselves one by one. Stacy Keibler, Lisa Marie Varon a.k.a Victoria, Amy Dumas a.k.a Lita, Torrie Wilson and many others found a friend in Riz quite easily.

After all the introductions, the diva got back to gussying up for the show. Trish and Amy left the locker room to start off RAW for that night. Riz grabbed some stuff from her messenger bag and laid them out on the vanity. She wasn't a big fan of make-up. She only wore it whenever she had to be under the lights so that she wouldn't look as pale as a ghost. Her mother insisted on her brining some to the US in case she had somewhere to go. They had proved to be useless until now.

She applied some foundation, the one that were the same color as her skin, followed by some light brown eye shadow to accentuate her brown eyes. She applied some blush and a little clear mascara before moving onto putting on some light pink lipgloss. She wasn't a girl to wear a lot of make-up; I think you could see that by now. She wore minimal make-up so that she would look presentable.

An hour and a half into RAW, a stagehand knocked onto the door of the locker room and asked for Riz. "Ms. Cruz, it's time for your segment with Mr. Cena…" he said. She nodded ad followed him to the entrance where John was already waiting for her. He heard the familiar clinking of his dog tags so he spun around to see Riz there. "Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Are you sure you really don't want to be with DX?" he joked. 'Are you ready?' was DX's trademark line. She laughed and hit him playfully on his arm. "I'm sure, Cena… Now c'mon… I think we're on in ten seconds…" she said. In a couple more seconds, 'Basic Thugonomics', a recording made by John Cena himself, played throughout the arena starting with the well-known, 'So… You think you're untouchable…'

The crowd went wild for their favorite heel. Yes, John Cena was still known as a heel to the WWE fans. With his raps, he annoyed most superstars in the ring. But backstage, judging by how he's been with Riz, you could say that he was quite the joker and sweetheart. John and Riz stepped onto the stage and admired the crowd before them. John raised his hands to show his appreciation for his fans while Riz smirked at them, just like how they'd practiced.

They, indicating that they were still heels, walked down the ring hand-in-hand and smirked at all the fans. John opened the ropes so that she could step in and then stepped in himself. They each got a mic and waited for the crowd to tone down their extremely loud screams. Once the crowd was pacified, John started out on what his script said.

"**Well, I think y'all might be wond'rin' who this girl beside me is… Imma give y'all a slight background check on that reason… Steph, RAW's GM, finally came to her senses and thought that John Cena needed a girl beside him… And yeah, I agree with her… It was getting kinda lonely comin' up this ring every time with no one beside me but myself…"** he said.

"…**And so, Steph interviewed some pretty ladies from blah blah blah and found this girl… She was beautiful, she was talented… She was extremely good with her mouth, too, but that's beside the point and only for me to know, y'hear?"** the crowd laughed slightly at all the antics John was pulling off.

"…**With my approval… This girl standin' in this ring with me right now, on the 27****th**** of December, is my girl… my pretty lady… She's not yours… She's mine… And yes, she's talented and smart and all that crap you'd think of as the perfect girl for me… Plus, she knows how to talk… Talk smack, if ya catch me… Without further ado, I'd like to introduce y'all to Riz!"** John said into the microphone as the fans gave the valet a hearty welcome.

"**WWE fans! Riz is here, and I'm sure y'all are so happy with my presence…" **she said in that exaggerated way similar to John's as she portrayed her cocky persona so well. **"…And Cena, I don't appreciate you sayin' it to these people that I am pretty good with my mouth… 'Cause as you said, it's only for you to know…"**

"**But, baby, I thought we had this connection? You know… The one that I'd flaunt you off as my girl? And so yeah, baby, I just want the world to know how well I see you as a person… After all, you are my baby… Right, baby?"** John said as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Before RAW, they weren't so sure if Steph was planning on a love angle or just a simple storyline between them.

"**Ah, you flirt you…" **Riz said as he slapped him gently on the stomach. **"Well, this is what I get for fallin' for this big chunk of muscle standin' beside me… Anyway, I want you all to know that I will be John Cena's 'girl' slash valet… And y'all are gonna see a lot of lil ol' moi… So, get ready, WWE, 'cause this girl…"** she pointed to herself as John pointed to her, too. **"… This girl is here to cause some major trouble… What can I say? I'm a bad girl…"**

"**That your are, baby… That you are…"** John said. Before they could say anything more, a familiar sound of electric guitars blasted through the arena followed by the pounding of drums. 'Hey… Hey… Hey! Nothing you can say…' blasted through the arena in Mercy Drive's music. Randy Orton, a pompous jerk to the fans, stepped out and smirked at the fans.

He held a microphone to his mouth and said, **"Well… well… well…"** in that low husky voice of his. **"What do we have here, Cena? A new ho to cling onto you? Wait… I almost forgot… She isn't a new ho… She's the first one, to state it nicely!"**

"**What do you want, Orton? You come out here interrupting Riz and I just so you could tell me how many hoes I've had on me? Well… Orton… She's not a ho… And yeah… So, if you think she's the first… If I have one, then you have none… Y'dig?"** John was fast in his backfire to Randy as the crowd cheered. This wasn't in the script. But what the hell, they couldn't say 'this isn't in the script!' in front of the crowd.

"**Well… I've got two things to say, Cena… Number one, about that 'If I have one, then you have none' shit, well, you'd best get your facts straight because if I can recall properly, the proper line would be, if said from my perspective, 'If I have ten, you have seven'… I'm always ahead of you, Cena… Don't forget that…"** Randy said.

"…**And another thing… You're right, she isn't a ho… She doesn't look like a ho… Boy, Cena, you do not know how to pick your girls now, do you? Because judging from what I see, that's not a girl beside you… Looks more like a boy, Cena… She's standing beside you wearing that and talking like that, are you sure that's the kind of girl you'd want?"** Randy said further.

"**Aha…"** Riz let out a sarcastic laugh. **"…Mr. Mighty Cocky A-hole Randy Orton… I'm not a girl?"** she faced the crowd and smiled with her mouth open as if she were over astonished. **"I've got just three things to say to you, Orton… Number one, what the hell is up with the 'If I have ten, you have seven' crap? So you mean, if that's applicable in all areas, you've had ten girls dump you, while John over here has only got seven… Isn't looking good for such a playboy like yourself, is it?"**

"…**Oh! And secondly, John doesn't know how to pick his girls? Newsflash, Orton, he chose me. Not you. So, he even better be thankful that he chose someone who has a bigger chance to be a girl…" **the crowd burst out in laughter. **"…Lastly, Orton, you could go around wearing a miniskirt and a tube top and I'd still call you normal, for someone like you… So, if I, in these clothes, am not normal, then what's normal for ya? Me wearing a clown suit?"** the crowd laughed again as Riz smirked.

"**Well, John…" **Randy started, obviously livid. **"Your girl over there does know how to run her mouth… And what a big mouth it is… You talking about normal, Riz? You haven't seen normal in the WWE… Never… You're just new here… So, you'd best respect me 'cause I know you'd never learn anything from that thug over there…"** he said as he stepped backstage and left the two in the ring.

"**That's right, Orton! Walk away 'cause you know you've just lost…" **John said. **"…To a girl, as a matter of fact!"** the crowd laughed. **"Oh, and by the way, Riz, about the whole thing 'bout you sayin' that I chose you over Orton, that's way creepy, woman… I know Orton's gay…"** the crowd laughed. **"…But hell, I don't swing that way!"**

"…**And hopefully you never will…"** Riz said before leaving the ring. John followed suit as he chased her like a lovesick puppy all the way back up the ramp. They reached the backstage and then the RAW announcers, Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Jim 'JR' Ross, closed the show and said goodnight to all the fans and viewers.

Backstage, everyone gave Riz a huge standing ovation. For her first time on air, it was fantastic! The Randy Orton part wasn't in the script but she managed to pull it off without a hitch. She even entertained the fans well. Steph came running to her and said, "That was so good, Riz! The ratings went through the roof with you and Orton fighting! They all loved your little catfight!"

The backstage crowd cheered her on even more. She felt welcome, not to mention accepted in this group. She felt John wrap an arm around her shoulders and squeeze them slightly, indicating that she had done a job well done. "That was a great stint out there, Riz! The crowd absolutely loved you!" he said with a smile.

As soon as the crowd had cleared and most of the superstars were on their way home, Riz and John were still standing there near the curtains. Riz had been exclaiming about how good it felt to go out onstage and in the ring for the first time in front of the WWE fans. She was so hyper and proud of herself that she was almost jumping around and that amused John. She was hyper. So, they were a good pair. He was crazy and loved to exaggerate, she was hyper and loved to be sarcastic.

"Oh, hey, Riz… I want you to meet my best friend…" John said as he pointed to behind Riz. She spun around to come face-to-face with none other than Randy Orton. John walked over to Randy and put an arm around his shoulders. "Riz, this is my best friend since ever, or more probably since I started OVW, Randy Orton… Yeah, he was the man you were catfightin' with earlier…" he said.

Randy Orton was a man who was apparently taller than John. He was 6"4 and he had brown hair and baby blue eyes similar to those of John. He had a pretty muscular physique and a cocky aura to him. He held his head high and looked down on the smaller woman. Yep, indeed she did feel very vertically-challenged around here being only 5"4.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Randy!" she held out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Riz! You can call me whatever you want but I'd prefer if you'd just call me Riz… It has a nicer ring in my ears…" Her hand remained stranded there in the air for him to take but he never did. He just glared at her and smirked before John decided to leave. "Hey, guys, Imma go fix my stuff… I'll pick you up in the locker room, aiiite, Riz?" John said before leaving them alone.

"I think it's best if I'd call you bitch… It has a nicer ring in MY ears…" Randy said once John was out of sight. She took her hand back and looked at him weirdly. "Look, _Riz_, I don't like you bitching about me out there… Don't you think that was rather humiliating? I mean, calling me gay? Could you really stoop so low?" he attacked.

"THAT was rather humiliating? See it from my side, Orton… You called me a guy! You called me, well implied, that I was a bisexual! Now who's stooping so low? Now who's seeing it as humiliating?" she said, firing back. She didn't mean to sound so rude but her pride was at stake here.

"It isn't a very nice start for you here in the WWE, now, is it? On your very first day… On your RAW debut, you just had to mess with me… Listen here, bitch, I am Randy Orton, the Legend Killer… Around here, what I say goes… So, if you don't mind, get out of my face, stay away from me, and leave my sexuality alone…" he said, defending his side to make him look oh so innocent.

"Whatever you do, Orton, I am in the WWE… I made it here with my blood, sweat and tears… And I'm not going to let some cocky arrogant man like you ruin in… Sure, I'll let you run around tellin' people that I'm nothing but a ho, oh, pardon me, I meant boy, running 'round clingin' onto John Cena's shirt… Yeah, sure, go ahead and say that but that doesn't mean I am one… So, you don't have to ask if I'd leave you alone, Orton, because after this, as sure as your heart is frozen over I won't even bother to look at you!" she said before spinning around and walking back to the locker room.

Maybe this wasn't such a good day after all.

* * *

**People! Might I repeat: THIS IS NOT A RANDY BASHING STORY. It may only seem like one but it isn't, 'kay? I'm just playing around with his persona but I am, in no way, bashing him! M'kay?**

**This one… kinda gets interesting. Well, kind of. Not saying it is. But it's kind of. Lol. For those who are waiting for the prologue's time frame to come back into the picture, it's gonna come back sometime. Aiiite? Don't worry. Speaking of reviews, honestly, I was kinda frustrated at the number. Ah well, might as well post more for more reviews.**

**Please, people! R&R so that I'll post the update sooner, m'kay? Thankies.**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	4. Snowy Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

* * *

**Chapter Three: Snowy Night**

"It was so amazing how you talked Orton down out there!" Trish exclaimed. She and Riz were sitting in the Women's Locker Room alone. They were the only ones left after the house show. Trish was also hitching a ride with John back to the hotel so she decided to wait after Riz had finished cleaning up. So far, Riz had taken a nice shower and was dressing up in a pair of Jam khaki cargo pants, a white long-sleeved fit U2 turtleneck sweater, and white Skechers rubber shoes.

"I guess I just went into survival mode… I mean, that was not in the script so I thought and said the first things that came to my mind… But I think I must've hurt him by the way he talked to me earlier… I think I should apologize…" Riz said as she was tying her shoelaces. She put her foot down from the bench that she had put it up on and straightened her pants. "I mean… It did look like I hurt him… You think I should go to him and apologize?"

"Girl, I think Randy should know that it was just on screen… Plus, it was fitting into your cocky persona so it was actually a great start! He isn't that sensitive… Trust me, if he were, I'd think that what you said out there, about him being gay, were facts and not fiction if you get what I mean…" Trish joked as the two women laughed in sync. "You don't have to worry about anything, Riz… If anyone should be apologizing, I think it should be him… I mean, he interrupted your segment with John! Then, he talked trash about you… Then, he fought with you backstage… I think those are reasons enough…"

"I know, Trish… But I just can't help but feel guilty… I mean, calling the man gay? Don't you think I pushed it a little too far? He is known to be a playboy 'round here…" Riz explained as she grabbed her fluffy white hoodie from its place on a hanger in her locker. "I think it was quite a stab to who he was portraying… I don't know, Trish, maybe I'm just being too worried…"

"Look, Riz, I know Randy will understand! He's a great guy once you get to know him… Plus, he's a real sweetheart… He's miles different from his persona…" Trish exaggerated. "By the way, how did you know that he was known as a playboy around here? Ooh, looks like someone did a little homework…"

"I watch wrestling, too, Trish… You should shove that in your pretty little head… So, I've seen him a couple of times… I've also seen you, John, Stace, Amy, Paul… I mean, just a couple of hours ago, I was still dreaming of being in that ring with one of you guys and now, look! I am inside the Women's Locker Room with you!" Riz said, obviously still not over the fanaticism. "From a teenage dream, I've made it come true…"

"…And all of us here in the WWE know that you can make it farther into the business…" Trish continued as she put an encouraging hand on Riz's shoulder. "Judging by your performance out there on your debut as Cena's valet, I could say that you have something that can help the company… And by the way you acted and talked out there, even before Orton interrupted, girl, you deserve to be here!"

"Thanks, Trisha…" Riz said with a grateful smile. She was glad she was being accepted here. People here in the WWE were nice. The cameramen were friendly and encouraging. The superstars were super fun to be with. Vince and Steph were the most darling people you could ever meet. Paul, HHH, he didn't know her that much, but when he saw her, he started to act overprotective of her. He would look at John and say 'Take care of this girl. If anything happens, I'm blaming you.' And John, he was the sweetest ol' thug you could ever meet. Crazy, too.

She noticed everyone in the WWE had made a very good impression on her. All except one. Randall Keith Orton. Randy wasn't in the mood to make a good impression on her. But nonetheless, she thought maybe she was the one who caused that mood. Maybe once they get to know each other, they would be good friends.

Her line of thoughts was accidentally broken when she heard the door open and a familiar voice say, "Hey, girls, let's go… Car's waiting outside…" Yep. John was there. Him and his goofy crooked smile with those adorable dimples and his child-like baby blue eyes. They were pretty similar to his mind. Blue eyes and mind. Both were child-like. Whom could you blame? He was a kid at heart.

Riz slipped the hoodie onto her body and took one final look at herself in the mirror. Her blow-dried hair was up in a ponytail with her bangs left to fall onto her face, free of any make-up. She grabbed her body bag and slung it around her torso before walking out of the locker room arms linked with Trish. They were walking down the hallways and to the exit when someone bumped into Riz. She had fallen backwards on her butt and boy, did it hurt.

"Serves you right for getting in my way…" she heard an oh-so-familiar voice say. She looked up and stared directly into the icy blue eyes of none other than Randy Orton. "You know, rookie, I think you should learn some respect here… In this business, we don't tolerate sex-confused wannabes… So, it's either you fight or step aside… You're getting in my way…"

Riz stood up as she dusted off her hoodie and her favorite pair of cargos. She looked up to Randy again and met his eyes with hers. "Look here, Randy… You told me either to fight or step aside… So, little mental note for that cocky head of yours, I'm not going anywhere! What does that mean?" she said before cupping her chin with her hand sarcastically and pretended to think. "Oh! Oh! I know! I know!" she said as she raised up her hand sarcastically, too. "It means that, Orton, you haven't seen the end of the line… This tiger has just begun the hunt… And you're number one on my list…" she said as she narrowed her eyes at him.

He narrowed his eyes back at her and they indulged themselves in a little 'staring with narrowed eyes contest'. But before anything else could happen, John finally decided on breaking up the two. First smart thing he's done all day. "Come on, you guys… Randy, back off, she's new 'round here… Riz, don't get yourself into trouble on your first day…" John said as he stepped between the two.

"Yeah, Riz… You better not cause any smartass trouble on your very first day on the job… Because if you do, it could be your first and last time in the WWE, boy…" Randy joked. He laughed to himself. He found it amusing how he could pick on these rookies. But nuh-uh, this was the wrong rookie to mess with. Apparently, this one knew how to fight back. And when she did, it wasn't nice.

"Boy? Randy, to think that I was the one thinking of apologizing to you for what I did out there onscreen! Well, I feel like being so nice today so I'll let you slip… I'm sorry, Randy!" she said sarcastically with that annoying quirk of her eyebrow. "I'm sorry I made you look like a damn fool out there because I called you gay… But sheesh, Orton, you should learn how to define business from personal! I didn't say those 'cause those were what I thought of you… I said them because it was the only way I could fight… So, if y'all don't mind, I'm leaving since I've done my damn part in this ass's day…"

Riz, not needing to be scolded further by John or annoyed more by Randy, walked away. Or perhaps the proper term would be: stomped away. She was fuming from the ears as Trish sprinted beside her. "Whoa… Calm down, Rizza babe… I know Orton isn't just feeling himself today… You should really cool down…" Trish said as she grabbed hold of Riz's forearm.

Riz sighed and closed her eyes. "I hope you're right, Trish… He does look like a nice guy… But I still don't like him…" she said with a slight smile. But to some extent, there was some truth in that. It wasn't that she hated him. For Riz, it didn't take one day for her to hate someone. It usually took quite some time since she was such a nice person. She just didn't like him. Plain and simple.

"C'mon, gals… It's time for us to leave…" John said as he walked up to the two. "Are you aiiite, Riz? Did he hurt you with anything he said? I'm really sorry… He's not really like this…" he tried to explain as they headed to the double doors to the parking lot. John knew his best friend more than anybody else in the world. They'd been together for the past two years starting from OVW until now. Both have been entered in the WWE for a year or so. They had split paths that time. Randy had gone with the rich group whilst John, well, he started as a B-class wrestler but it was all good.

"It's no problem, John… He is on my watch list but I'm not taking anything against him… For you two to be best friends, he should have a soft side… Maybe it was just a bad day for him today…" Riz said in a relaxed tone. "Well, there's always tomorrow… So, why rush getting to know him today when he obviously ain't up to it?"

"Glad you see it that way, Riz… Really glad…" John said as Trish smiled at him in approval. This girl standing with them was a very smart girl. She knew how to react in times of crises. Though, of course, the sarcasm would need a little itty-bitty bit of tweaking. But nonetheless, she knew lots of things other people would have taken for granted. She was alert and on her toes. She thought and decided quickly, too. Not bad.

John opened the double doors for the girls and let them step out, Riz first before Trish. The moment Riz caught glimpse of the white wonder sitting there outside, she squealed like a little girl left in the candy shop with a hundred dollar bill. Trish and John looked at her skeptically. She noticed their eyes and looked at them knowing that they needed an explanation. "Well, back in the Philippines, all we have is a tropical climate… We never have snow…So, ever since I was a little girl; I've always wanted to experience snow… But never got the chance 'cause we only flew out during the summer…"

"So, now's my first time to really see snow… Well, this morning I was too much of in a rush to notice… Now, I really see it and feel its cold and all that… And I'm just happy… 'Cause it's like two of my dreams are coming true all in one day…" Riz said, her child-like innocence coming out up the feeling of snow against her bare hands. Yeah, she might be crazy for touching snow with her bare hands but to her, it felt like heaven.

Trish smiled at the 22-year old child standing in front of her playing with the snow. Riz looked every bit like Trish back when she was just a mere child living in Toronto. Riz's innocence was catching on to charming the two others real quick. They could sense that there was something really bothering her. But only God knows what.

"It's getting real late, girls… We better head back to the hotel before anything happens…" John said, his fatherly side coming out. It wasn't that he was trying to act like one to them, but he just had this worry and concern that would compare to that of a father's. "My amazing Fortuner is over here…" he said as he pointed to a black Fortuner standing in the snow.

They all boarded the vehicle with John and Trish upfront and Riz sitting at the back. She was still marveling at the snow outside. Yes, she was acting like a five-year old who saw snow for the very first time but she couldn't help it. Watching the powdery substance fall from the sky was amazing. They looked just like they did in her snow globes back home.

The three reached the Marriott hotel and John gave his car to the valet for parking. They all walked into the hotel and were bombarded by reporters and cameramen who wanted the latest update. Apparently, Riz's debut was a hit, especially with her feuding with Randy and acting as John's girlfriend. They posed to take some pictures and signed a couple of articles for some fans. As Riz was signing something for a 5-year old girl, she felt happy. Look where she was! She was famous. If after her first day, the situation was already like this, what more of the future?

After the entire ruckus had calmed down and the security was able to pry the reporters off the three superstars, they went up to their hotel rooms. Trish was staying on the third floor whilst John and Riz were coincidentally on the fifth floor. His room was four doors down from hers. So, after they had all gone up, John made sure Riz was in her room safely before departing to his own.

Riz entered her room and placed her body bag on her bed before falling down on it backwards. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she felt a smile coming to her face. "YES!" she screamed out loud as she gripped onto the sheets of the bed in happiness. She had taken that leap to make her dream come true. All that hard work and perseverance in wrestling school had most definitely paid off if she made it here.

Before she could take another breath, her Razr rang to the tune of Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows from the Shrek movie. _'So she said what's the problem, baby… What's the problem? I don't know, well, maybe I'm in love, love… Think about it every time I think about it, can't stop thinking 'bout it…'_ the voice echoed to the upbeat tune.

Riz, knowing who the caller was by the ring tone, flipped her phone open and said, "Your official WWE Diva, valet of John Cena and the most adorable person alive has just answered the phone… If you want to speak with John Cena, press 1… If you want to see my adorable-ness, press 2… If you want to know about how I got this amazing job and how it feels, press 3!" in a faux operator voice. "If you want to roll over and die, press 4…" she added monotonously.

The person on the other line laughed out hysterically. "You are crazy, aren't you?" the person said, still not able to control your laughter. "Beep. Sorry, code is not recognizable by computer. Please try again. If you want to speak with John Cena, press 1… If you want to see my adorable-ness, pre-" Riz joked again in that hilarious operator voice.

"Alright! Alright! Presses number three…" the person said, saying her actions instead of actually doing it. "So, how was the interview? Was Mr. McMahon creepy? And how was it backstage? Was the ring big? Were there many people? How about the superstars? Were they nice? Was Shawn Michaels absolutely hot in person? How about Triple H? OMG, Riz! Tellmetellmetellme!"

"Whoa! Hold on there, mingo…" Riz said to her sister. "You sure do have a lot of questions for a person who never took interest in wrestling… And to answer your questions about Shawn Michaels and Triple H… Ewww, woman! Don't talk like that! You sound like a love-sick teenager!"

"Well, who can blame me? I'm just excited for my little sis… Say, you didn't tell me that you were John Cena's valet! OMG, Koko is so going to flip over this! A—oh shit he heard me… Gimme one minute to get him out of my room…" Celine a.k.a. Lin, said on the phone before pulling it away from her ear.

Riz could hear her little brother screaming, 'She's John Cena's valet? Gimme that phone, ate! I wanna talk to my beautiful, adorable, pretty, kind, sweet and loving sister who is John Cena's valet!' Yep. He got the news all right. Afterwards, she heard her sister scream, 'Koko! Get out of my room! I am trying to talk to Riz!' 'But-but…' 'OUT!' Riz laughed at her siblings fighting.

"Hello? Yeah… Sorry about that… Koko was too fanaticized about you being John Cena's valet… Anyways… Where were we? Oh yeah… We were at that part where you were supposed to answer all the questions I asked you…" Lin said on the phone. "So, go ahead… I'm waiting for you to answer…"

After Riz had calmed down from laughing, she started relating her story to her sister. From the time when she was shocked by Frankie McArthur's revelation, to the extremely disturbing flight, to meeting John in the hallways when she was lost, to the interview with the McMahons at Chez Pierre, to signing the contract, to being told that she would be John's valet, to practicing with him and him giving her his dog tags, to meeting Trish and the other divas, to going out to the ring, to having a blast, to seeing Randy Orton for the very first damn time, to battling with him backstage, to seeing snow and then to coming back to the hotel.

"Wow… Randy Orton was that annoying?" Lin asked as the only thing that was lingering in her head. Onscreen, sure he looked hot and absolutely amazing, but hearing those very words from her little sister was somewhat shocking. Especially on her RAW debut and her first day in the WWE as a valet. "But hey, you called the man gay!"

"…And he called me a boy… So, fair is fair… But that's onscreen… Backstage, maybe he was just in a bad mood today… Maybe in the future, he and I will probably be good friends… He looks like a very nice guy…" Riz explained, her mind drifting back to the time Randy had interrupted her segment with John.

"Ooh, does my little sister have a crush on Randy Orton after her first day?" Lin asked in that annoying singsong voice that would drive anyone crazy. "HEEEEEELL NOOOOO!" came Riz's immediate answer to her sister's teasing. It wasn't that Randy wasn't attractive, but he just didn't make a good impression on her.

"Don't deny it, Riz… I mean, the man's good-looking and you sure do want to get to know him…" Lin defended her side of the case. "It's not that no other girl in the world would crush over him…" she said. Riz took a deep breath before saying, "Look, mingo, you know that I can't… Plus, I just want to get to know him because we're gonna be working on the same playing field, so why not get along, right?"

"Whatever you say, noodle… Whatever you say…" Lin said with a slight twinge of knowing in her voice. Riz was about to reply when the doorbell in her room rang. "Gimme a sec, mingo… Someone's at the door…" Riz said before standing up and walking to the door. She peeped through the peep hole and saw that John was outside.

She opened the door and said, "Hi! Gimme one sec…" She turned to her phone and said, "Hey mingo, can you get Koko on the phone for me? I've got something to tell him…" "Hell no! I'm not letting that brat use my phone!" Lin said with a hint of playfulness in her voice. She valued her cell phone. What girl wouldn't?

Riz signaled for John to come in and for him to take a seat on the couch as she closed the door. "Please, mingo? I've got some really important things that he needs to know… Please…" Riz said as she sat down on the couch beside John. "Alright, alright… Koko! Front and center!" Lin screamed.

John smiled at Riz and raised a questioning eyebrow. She smiled back and acknowledged his look with a twitch of the eyebrows. She let out a soft chuckle as her brother came onto the line. "Hey, ate Riz… What's up? You better make it quick 'cause you're not the one who has to live with ate Lin…" Koko said as Lin echoed, 'I heard that, weirdo!'

Riz laughed a little before putting her phone on loudspeaker and signaling John to listen in. "Hey, lil bro… Didn't you ask me for John Cena's autograph 'cause he's your most favorite wrestler of all time?" she asked her brother as John let out a little smirk upon realizing her little plot.

"Yeah! …And you owe me that autograph! Just remember, I got you your crush's basketball practice schedule before so you could stalk him and whatever so you owe me big time!" Rico said on the phone as John silently laughed at the fact. Riz blushed a little before saying, "Yeah, yeah… You don't have to remind me about that… But anyways, I've got a surprise for you…"

"What is it, my kind beautiful loving patient adorable perfect pretty smart intelligent witty amazing considerate compassionate artistic sister who works in the WWE as John Cena's valet?" Rico asked, anticipating whatever she had for him. Wow. Such a John Cena fan he was now, wasn't he?

"Hey, lil' man… What's good?" John said on the phone as Riz bit her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud. There was a silence on the phone. "Sis, are you playing with me with that John Cena push-to-talk doll again?" Rico asked, referring to a previous prank that Riz had played on him and his fanaticism.

"Yo, man… You've got a push-to-talk doll of me? I'm touched, man… But this ain't Riz you're talkin' to… This is John Cena… The man that your kind beautiful loving patient adorable perfect pretty smart intelligent witty amazing considerate compassionate artistic sister manages in the WWE…" John said as Riz struggled to contain her laughter.

"Very funny, Ann Laurice… Very funny… I'm not falling for that anymore…" Rico said, still in denial about this whole thing. "Last time you fooled with me, I couldn't eat breakfast for three days 'cause I kept dreaming that John Cena really called me on my phone and said hi… I'm not that stupid…"

"Hey! Watch it with the whole name, Rico Carlo…" Riz shot back. She wasn't quite fond of people calling her by her full name. It wasn't that she didn't like her name. It was just annoying. "Anyway… If you don't believe then fine… But you're throwin' away this chance, Ko… I've got to go… Tell Lin I'll call her tomorrow, aite? Tell mum and dad I love 'em… Love yah, Koko… Bye…" Riz said as she put down the phone after all the goodbyes.

"So, what brings you here to my room besides to help me prank my little brother?" Riz asked John as she stuffed her phone into her pocket and looked at him. "Not that I'm arguing or anything but didn't we just see each other last like ten or fifteen minutes ago?" she asked, in a state of wonder.

"I was just wondering… If you're not too tired… And since it's your first time to see snow… I thought maybe we could go to Central Park and you know… Take a walk… And enjoy the snow…" John said, unsure of what to say to her. All he knew was he was going to make her first day in the WWE as fun as ever.

"I'd love to!" Riz said, excited that he had invited her to walk out in the snow. "Great!" he said. "Let's go!" Riz grabbed his hand as they both ran out of her room and down to the lobby. They used the stairs, mind you. He was chasing her all the way down the stairs and out of the lobby to the park. He caught her around the waist as they went rolling onto the newly fallen layer of snow on the grass. They lay there side by side as they laughed at their own crazy antics.

They played in the snow; throwing balls of the white powder at each other. Riz would jump on John's back and he would run around with her piggyback on his back as she screamed, "John! Put me down!" And he would throw her down on the snow. They had fun. Bottom line, they had lots of fun even if it was already a quarter past one in the morning.

John took Riz's petite hand in his as he carried her onto his shoulders into a fireman's carry. They were both laughing as he pretended to be giving her his finisher, the FU. He did commentary as he carried her around on his shoulders, "Here comes the hottest WWE Champion, John Cena, about to deliver his amazing FU to the WWE Women's Champion, Riz… And he carries her around the ring while she laughs and hits his head which is beginning to hurt!" Then he brought her down to the snow slowly so she wouldn't hurt herself. She knew how to soften her land anyways since she'd been a victim of the FU before when they trained during their free time.

After their fun in the snow time, they walked around and made footprints everywhere. Riz had her hands stuffed in the pockets of her hoodie as she shivered a little. She wasn't so used to the cold since she didn't experience it so often. John saw this and took off his jacket so she could keep herself warm. He was used to the snow already since he used to live in Boston. She smiled and thanked him before putting the big black jacket around her body. But her body was a little sensitive to cold right now so she still shivered. He, sensing this, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him to keep her warm. He hugged her as she buried her face in his chest to keep her nose warm.

"I'm feeling like a kid again…" she stated in a muffled voice. "My nose feels frozen…" she continued. John laughed at the two comments and tilted her head so that she was looking at him. He kissed her nose and asked, "How about now? Does it still feel frozen?" with a smile.

"If you think slobbering your drool on my nose will make it feel warmer, you're wrong…" she said jokingly as she pouted. He burst out in hysterical laughter. He liked her. She was playful and sweet. She was like a little sister already to him. Over the past few hours, they have gotten closer. It was like she was the female counterpart of himself, with a little more childishness. "Well, c'mon then, I'll hug you tighter so that you won't feel cold…" he said as he pulled her closer.

This wasn't what it looked like, okay? They weren't a pair of lovesick lovers who were having a good time on the night of the day they first met. Hell, it wasn't anything like that. Riz found a friend in John and she was happy with that and vice versa. Sure, they had a sort of love angle going on in the WWE but that was onscreen. Off screen, such as this, they were like brother and sister who met each other for the first time. There was this 'connection'; the feeling that they've known each other for a long time.

"So, how'd you find your first day in the WWE?" he asked her as they began their walk back to the hotel. He rubbed her arms caringly so that she wouldn't freeze on him. "It was so fun, John! I mean… Meeting you… Meeting Trish and the others… Being your valet… Going out there in the ring for the first time ever and having lots of fun… It was all going so well, like as if it were a dream I'd just dreamt overnight… But then… then I met HIM…" Riz said with a twinge of bitterness.

"Randy doesn't mean any harm, Riz… I mean, I'm sure he can be a jackass sometimes but that doesn't mean he should be a thorn on your side… Like what you said earlier, maybe he's just had a bad day today…" John tried to explain to her. Randy was his best friend anyways. When it came to girls, it was either Randy was the king of chivalry or the king of being a jackass.

"It's not that he's a thorn on my side, John… It's just that my day was going so well… And the thing about him interrupting our segment, I could let that slide 'cause it is just the persona he's portraying… I understand that… But backstage, when he was acting all cocky and arrogant about this, he kind of ruined it for me… I mean, it's not like I wasn't offended by his crude comment on me on my debut on National TV… So, maybe he pushed my persona, but he shot down the person…" she said, pulling away from him and walking on her own.

"Rizzie… He ain't that bad… So, maybe you guys got off on the wrong foot… Give him a chance… With a pretty girl like you, I'm sure he'd be so stupid to be a big meanie to you…" he said in a kiddie voice. "After all… Randy may be a playboy but he ain't that stupid to let one thing cross him so easily…"

She laughed a little at his effort to cheer her up. "I'm willing to give him a chance, John… If he's willing to give me one, too… I'm gonna keep my patience with him… but I must warn y'all… He doesn't know the term respect… And the quote 'What you don't know, won't hurt you' is a lie in his case… 'Cause I've got a gut feeling that he won't have a very happy ending if he don't start respecting people around him…"

"Just give him a chance… That's all he needs… And I'm sure he's going to be there to give you a chance, too… He's a nice person, Riz, I promise you… I've known him for a long time now and I know he's a great person… You just need to give him that chance…" he said as they neared the hotel lobby.

She nodded at him. "I will give him that chance… I promise…" she said. He hugged her tight as the snow fell on both of them. He whispered a soft thank you into her ear before they pulled away and smiled at each other. They both walked into the hotel and went up to their respective rooms. As usual, he dropped her off at her room and she returned his jacket.

So, maybe the whole thing with Randy wasn't such fun. But hey, Riz was still willing to give him a second chance.

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**Hey, people. I wasn't supposed to update yet, but thanks to someone's incessant begging, I decided to post the next chapter. We are so close to reverting back to the present so if y'all would kindly bear with me. To those who said the descriptions were no longer essential to the story, I'm sorry if it's rather… different… but I like detail in some sort of OC-ish way.**

**But anywhosidoodles, thanks for the reviews everyone! I hope there are more for this chapter… Yeah. I hope. I hope.**

**Read and Review! Please!**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	5. So, Today Happens

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

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**Chapter Four: So, Today Happens**

"For once in your damn life, Orton, can you please do something right? Can you please shut your big fat mouth so that the rest of us can live life as we should?" Riz screamed at the top of her lungs as she stood in the middle of catering face-to-face, or probably, face-to-chest, with Randy Orton. He was certainly pushing her buttons and sad to say, it was working. "Some of us around here don't have enough time and patience to tolerate your childishness!"

"Childishness? Me? I'm sorry, Riz, but if there's anyone here who's got enough brains to think, that's going to be me… At least I know how to define a man from a woman… How about you?" he pushed even further. He knew it was making her livid but he didn't care. He found amusement in making her seethe with anger. "You're a girl trying to act like a guy… You don't even know how to be a girly-girl when the need be… You go out into the world and act all tough but God and I know that you aren't all that tough… You're a actually a softie that doesn't let the people see you cry… And you want to know why?"

"Oh, please enlighten me with your 'knowledge'!" she replied sarcastically as she used air quotes on the word 'knowledge'. Her patience with him had been wearing thin over the past ten minutes and it wasn't doing her throbbing head any good. She'd tolerated every single one of his jabs for the past two and a half years and literally, it was turning out to be too much now. Now that she's in a situation that nobody could really understand. "The great Randy Orton knows something that I don't about myself! Oh, please dare to enlighten me!"

"You pretend to act all tough and sarcastic… You act cool and you pretend everything's all right… Why? It's because you're weak but you don't let people see it… And face it, Cruz. I am your weakness… Right now, as you stand before me, you are feeling weaker by the moment and you know you can't stand me…" he played with her. Oh, he was asking for it. "You know you never were really a girl… You never had the 'feminine touch'… All you ever were was rough and tough and you play around with the big boys…"

"You want to know why I act all tough, Orton? You want to know why?" she had begun to raise her voice as the superstars surrounding them had slowly back away from the two. They knew it was never good to get in the middle of a raged Riz and a cocky Randy. "I only act all tough because you have to make me! What am I supposed to do? Fall down at your knees and beg? I don't think so… I'm not a girl who's willing to throw herself at you, Orton… You're nothing to me but a worm that I squish with my sneakers!"

"A worm that you squish with your sneakers? That's new… Face it, Riz. You're weak. Right now, I can see you faltering and going down as you slowly get to your knees and beg for me to satisfy you…" he said cockily. She was the only girl that never threw herself at him. She never even flirted with him. All they ever did was fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. That's how it was everyday. "If I'm not your weakness, Riz, then I want to know what… 'Cause you know you can never hide it from me…"

"My weakness? Right now, Orton, I don't care about weakness!" her voice was starting to croak as tears had begun to form in her eyes. There was water pooling around her brown eyes and her face was turning red. Her breathing had slowly become ragged and she bit her bottom lip every now and then. But her voice was still as demanding as ever even when it broke. "You don't understand the word weakness, Orton! You don't know the word sensitivity! All you've ever cared about was yourself and how well you get girls to fall at your feet!"

"I don't want to fall at your feet… I'm not your average girl who's willing to get herself laid just because you have an ego the size of Jupiter! Maybe, just maybe, you should think that I only act tough because I have problems I've yet to suppress! I don't live a perfect life like you, Orton… I don't live the crazy life like you do! I'm just your average girl! An average girl who has problems and knows she can face it on her own!" the tears had begun to fall down her cheeks. The superstars, even Randy, were shocked to ever see her break down like this in front of them. "I have enough things to deal with right now and I don't need you making it all heavier! So, if you don't mind, stop making it harder for me!"

"So, the boy does know how to cry…" he said as a joke. But apparently, she didn't quite take it as a joke. She glared at him with eyes pooling with tears of angst, hate and hurt. She didn't care about having to act strong and showing the world she could do everything. What she cared about now were the scratches that Randy was putting on her dignity. He had scarred her. "All the while I thought boys don't cry…" he said.

"A-" she was about to shoot him back when a sudden ringing of her phone echoed through the room. She took the black N93 from the pocket of her black cargo pants and flipped it open. "Hello?" she said, mustering up the best steady voice she could. "Yes, this is she… Yes… Yes… Are you serious? Okay, I understand… Thank you, doctor…"

_**It's over and done  
But the heartache lives on inside  
And who is the one you're clinging to  
Instead of me tonight?**_

She flipped the phone shut and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. "Damn it fucking shit!" she cursed out loud as she threw her phone to Randy. It barely hit him by a centimeter and went crashing onto the wall behind him. She glared at the shocked man standing in front of her and took more deep breaths as the tears continuously flowed from her eyes. She shook her head and spun around on her heel. But after a couple of steps, she looked back and said, "Why do you have to make my life such a living hell?"

She spun around once again and walked to the door. On the way, she walked past a wall that she punched. The cement had an obvious crack in it and Riz's knuckles were bleeding. She steadied her breath before continuing to the door and leaving catering with all the superstars in it dumbfounded. She found herself running to the diva's locker room. But halfway there, she bumped into what seemed like a brick wall. But that brick wall had arms. And they hugged her tight as she cried into the shirt of whoever it was.

_If I had just known that this would be what I would get for trying to follow my dream to wrestle, I never would've dreamed it…_ Riz whispered to herself in her mind.

_**And where are you now, now that I need you?  
Tears on my pillow wherever you go  
Cry me a river that leads to your ocean  
You'll never see me fall apart  
In the words of a broken heart**_

"Rizzie, what's wrong, baby girl?" John asked as he watched the girl cry into his shirt. He had seen her crying like this for the past month or so. It wasn't that she randomly burst out into tears in public. He usually caught her in the hotel room they shared; separate beds, mind you; inside the bathroom or the locker rooms. Wherever she cried, it was always secluded. Every time he would ask her what was wrong, she would brush it off as nothing. 'Just some dust in my eyes' or 'I'm sleepy' or 'I poked myself with my finger'.

This wasn't like the Riz he had known for the past two years. Riz never cried. Well, at least that's what all of them in the WWE saw. She wasn't the girl to cry because of a cockroach or anything else of the shallow like. They never saw her cry. John was the closest person Riz had in the WWE, and even he didn't know when she was crying. She always walked around with her head held high and her front being strong. She made people laugh and feel better about themselves. She comforted them when they needed help and gave them advice. She was the friend everybody knew.

But she was never one to be comforted; to need advice or help.

She was an independent woman at age twenty-four. She knew how to carry herself and respect others. She knew how to be proud of herself and respect others' pride as well. This was a definite first. She never cried, as I have said. Now, seeing her crying in his arms into his shirt and in her hometown of Manila, Philippines, too. They were here for Wrestlemania XXI. The PPV was the day after tomorrow and there was something wrong with this little main eventer. There was something up. It had been up for a month now.

"I-I'm just not f-feeling well, J-John… I think I-I need to go lie d-down and take a nap back in t-the hotel or s-something…" Riz tried to explain through her sniffles but was still rather crooked. She let the tears flow down her face endlessly as she was creating one big splot of water on John's black t-shirt. He had the title around his waist. He had been the reigning WWE champion since last month when he won it against Triple H.

_**It's just emotions taking me over  
Caught up in sorrow  
Lost in the song  
But if you don't come back  
Come home to me, darling  
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight?  
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight**_

"Bullshit." He said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. Riz never let anyone in on her personal life. She never gave out reasons as to why she cried or why she was down. It was always that strong front she pulled up whenever there was something wrong, along with, of course, the sarcastic nature of her mouth. John was tired of it. He had been there for her since the very beginning but apparently, she wasn't that open to him. "Riz, you've got to tell me what's wrong…" he said in the most caring way he could.

_**I'm there at your side  
I'm part of all the things you are  
But you've got a part of someone else  
You've got to find your shining star**_

"I'm not up to talking about it, John…" she said, pulling away from him and looking away from his piercing blue eyes. They were still an onscreen team but not a couple anymore. They had broken it off after a year of romance stating that 'it wasn't working out anymore'. Both parties agreed to the separation so they decided to become a team as an alternative to the romance angle they had. They were the closest people in the WWE. Each treated the other like a sibling. John never had a little sister. Riz never had an older brother. "I don't want to talk about something that's already done…" she said.

"Riz, I've been your best friend for the past two years you've been in the WWE… Don't you trust me enough to let me in your life? I know you're strong, I believe that you really are… But you can't keep going around, making people believe you're so happy when inside you're really so sad… You can't build these walls around you and keep people out when something goes wrong…" he rationalized.

"Oh yeah?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes.

_**And where are you now, now that I need you?  
Tears on my pillow wherever you go  
Cry me a river that leads to your ocean  
You'll never see me fall apart  
In the words of a broken heart**_

"Yeah! You just can't block people out… For the love of god, Rizzie, you've got to let someone in one day… And me, I just want to be there for you… I want to help you 'cause you're one of my best friends… I can't bear to see you crying every time and not know the reason why… You've been crying like this for the past month… And you've been blocking everyone out of your personal life since you started here in the WWE… Nobody knows how you really feel except happy… Nobody knows when you're sad… Nobody knows when you're mad except when you scream at Randy… Nobody knows what's going on with you…" he said.

_**It's just emotions taking me over  
Caught up in sorrow  
Lost in the song  
But if you don't come back  
Come home to me, darling  
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight?  
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight**_

He took a deep breath before continuing. "I want to know what's wrong… It's not because I want to know everything 'bout you, it's just because I'm concerned… I want to help you… Nobody knows who you really are and what you really feel… Please, Rizzie wizzie…" he used his special nickname for her. "…You've got to let someone in… You can't keep it all inside all the time and pretend you're so happy…"

She looked at him with softened features as more tears dared to fall from her eyes. And they did. The tears kept pouring out as she looked at John who was practically begging her to say something. She couldn't let him see she was weak. She couldn't let him get hurt if ever her problems also caused him agony. It wasn't fair. These were her problems. These were her responsibility.

_**And where are you now, now that I need you?  
Tears on my pillow wherever you go  
Cry me a river that leads to your ocean  
You'll never see me fall apart  
In the words of a broken heart**_

She took a deep breath as her face hardened with expression once again. She stated:

"Watch me."

…before walking away without looking back.

**_It's just emotions taking me over  
Caught up in sorrow  
Lost in the song  
But if you don't come back  
Come home to me, darling  
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight?  
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight  
Goodnight, goodnight_**

* * *

**Here's me with an update! So, uhm, hope you guys liked it! From this point on, it will be the present time! No more flashbacks, m'kay? Enjoy, people. And of course, don't forget to review!**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	6. I Lost My Dignity

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

* * *

Chapter Five: I Lost My Dignity

Over the past two years and a half, Riz had managed to get the WWE Women's Title a number of five times, faster than any other diva had acquired it in such a short period of time. After her debut on RAW on December 27, 2003, the writing staff, along with RAW GM Steph McMahon and WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, decided to push her further up the roster. So, within just two months into her career, she had gotten her first major feud with reigning Women's champion, Victoria.

Two years had gone by, and with her storyline spring-boarding between her winning and losing the title so many times, she had come up to being a five-time Women's champion. She had never held the belt for more than two months. Such a shame. But the WWE had big plans for her. They wanted her to be legendary.

**Wrestlemania XXI**** – April 3, 2006 (Manila, Philippines)**

The main events were pumping hot as the heat build up in the previous RAWs, SmackDowns and PPVs had all ended up to this grandest one of them all. This was where legends were made and futures were born. This was where they would separate the weak from the great, the undeserving from the needed.

The first few matches weren't really insignificant, but they weren't what the crowd was really getting pumped up for. When the match for the WWE Women's championship came, the audience was at their feet in anticipation for what was to come. 'Who's That Girl?' by Eve blasted hysterically through the Araneta Coliseum as the fans cheered on their hometown diva. Riz, clad in a pair of black cargo pants, a white short-sleeved RRJ hoodie and her white Skechers rubber shoes; her hair up in a messy ponytail underneath a plain black baseball cap, came out as she smiled at all of her fans.

_'Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_

_So, this is what it feels like to come back home and feel welcome…_ she said to herself in her mind. She couldn't deny the fact that what had transpired between her and John two nights ago was still in her mind. But she needed to focus on tonight. She had to win this match. Whatever happened, she had to be strong. This match, due to plea from her and Trish to challenge themselves, wasn't scripted. They just had a twenty-minute maximum match run. Whoever won was up to whoever gets the pin.

"**The following match is scheduled for one-fall and it is for the WWE Women's Championship! Introducing first the challenger… She is the ABC of the WWE… Manila's own… RIZ!"** Lilian Garcia announced as the fans went wild cheering for Riz. She started walking down the ramp from the stage as she slapped the hands of a couple of outstretched hands. ABC had been her given 'nickname' on screen since her moves were those letters. Her set-up move, the AB, shorter term for ass-buster, was a standing electric chair. Her main finisher, the Cancellation, was similar to that of the FU, difference was that instead of landing beside her, the victim of her move would be swung from her shoulders to her front and pushed down onto the ground. Hard.

Riz walked up the steel steps and into the ring. She passed through the second and third ropes and looked out to her hometown fans. This was great. The adrenaline was pumping as she did her trademark shifting her weight from foot to foot inside the ring. After which, she would stand on the second turnbuckle and pluck her shirt with her hand with a matching wink to the crowd. Saying the feeling was exhilarating was an understatement.

She jumped down from the turnbuckle as her music died down. She awaited her opponent in anticipation of probably winning her 6th Women's Championship tonight. It would be fantastic. Her mom, dad, older sister and younger brother were all watching at ringside. It was amazing, the energy from the crowd. It was nothing else she could define in mere ordinary words.

_(Giggle) '…I don't care what y'all say… Whoa! It's time to rock and roll!'_

'Time to Rock and Roll' by Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott blared through the arena next as Trish Stratus came out with the WWE Women's Championship nestled on her shoulder. She was wearing a pair of black leather pants with black boots and a fit white baby-tee that exposed her bellybutton. Her mass of blonde hair was flowing down her shoulders in straight bounces.

"**Introducing next the WWE Women's Champion… From Toronto, Canada… Trish Stratus!"**Lilian said into the microphone once again as the crowd was divided between cheers and boos. Cheers, because Trish was a magnificent diva, there was no doubt on anyone's mind about that. Boos, mainly because she was going against their hometown hero. So, it wasn't really biased, but the crowd's opinions were rather confused as to whether who to cheer.

After Trish's entrance and the music died down, it was time to start the match. Riz, being known to be John Cena's 'descendant', took off her cap and threw it to the awaiting crowd. After which, she pulled her hoodie off and threw it to the crowd. She was wearing a black razorback sports bra and the dog tags John gave her on her first day. She always wore it for a sense of security.

The referee asked her to surrender the dog tags and she did, after holding them to her heart. She did the sign of the cross, a ritual she often did before any match since she was Catholic. She offered every match to God whether win or lose. She was a very religious person, always believing that she could get through anything with divine intervention.

The bell rang and the match started with Trish and Riz circling around the ring as they locked eyes. Wicked grins began to etch their faces as they tried to mentally connect to one another. Not a second later did they connect in the middle of the ring in a fierce grapple with Riz soon turning it into a headlock. Trish tried struggling out, so she twisted Riz's arm and held it to her back.

Riz, not allowing herself to be brought down so easily, backed Trish up multiple times to the nearest turnbuckle until she let go. Sooner or later, Trish had released the grip on Riz and leant on the turnbuckle to support her aching back. Riz, after shaking her arm a little to get the blood flowing back again, found the chance and squatted down as she stalked Trish's confused figure. Once Trish was conscious enough, Riz zoomed in and attempted picking up the Cancellation for the win.

But unfortunately, Trish was able to duck her by the MaTrish, a standing backbend. Seeing the opportunity, Trish swiped at Riz's feet therefore causing the younger diva to fall on her back. Trish covered her for the pin, but at the second slam of the referee's hand to the canvas, Riz brought her aching right shoulder up. She had fallen with most of her weight on her right shoulder.

Riz spun around to be caught by Trish's fierce Chick Kick, a high kick to the jaw, but Riz caught her ankle in mid-air and held it there. Trish attempted to kick Riz on the back of the head with her other foot, but once again Riz evaded her foot, ducked, and while Trish was still in mid-air, caught the veteran's head in between her ankles and reversed the move to a hurricanrana.

Trish was down on her back on one side of the canvas as Riz was getting pumped up. This was where she would set her finisher and pull it off for the win. This was her time. Her time to shine. She stalked Trish like earlier and narrowed her eyes as Trish supported herself with the ropes just to get back up onto her feet. Once she was up, Riz took the chance and carried the veteran sitting-style onto her shoulders before slamming her backwards for a perfect electric chair.

Trish bounced off the canvas and sprung back to her feet which were now turning spaghetti. Riz carried the champion into a fireman's carry and heard the crowd screaming for joy. She let the crowd cheer for her for a while as she did her trademark cocky wink to them. But then, an unexpected thing came falling into the ring. A rose. A single long-stemmed red rose with a note that said 'N' in bright bold letterings and 'ever' in smaller ones.

Riz felt the smile fade from her face upon the sight of that rose and note. The crowd seemed to fade away and everything began to turn into blur as tears began to pool in her brown eyes. Next thing she knew, Trish had grabbed onto the ropes and performed the Stratusphere, a springboard bulldog takeover. The world faded back in when she heard Lilian say:

"…**The winner… And STILL YOUR WWE WOMEN'S CHAMPION… TRISH STRATUS!" **

She had just lost her match, the match she thought she'd win and list in her championship victories. But unfortunately no, she didn't win. She'd lost. Why did she lose? Because of that rose. That damn rose. Why was it there? Nobody here in this world knew. But the fans noticed there was something wrong when that smile began to fade from their hometown hero's face, thus causing Trish to pick up the win.

The WWE Women's Champion walked over to Riz who was still lying on the canvas on her back. She looked to the side and saw the rose. She gently picked it up and smirked at it as she still aimed to portray her heel role. She walked over to the still fazed Riz and placed it in her hands. She whispered, through her evil smile, "Rizza babe… What's wrong?"

Trish left the ring and walked backstage still basking in the glory of retaining her title in her opponent's hometown. How cool was that? But Riz was still in the ring. Still flat on her back. EMTs came out and checked on her. They helped her out of the ring and backstage to where they began to ice her sore lower back and right shoulder. John immediately ran up to her and pried her away from the medical team's arms into his tight hug. "You got me so worried… Are you okay, Rizzie?" he asked while kissing her forehead.

"I'm fine…" Riz replied bluntly as she twisted the rose in between the fingers of her right hand. John saw the look in her eyes. They were glazed over and seemingly pooling with forcibly unshed tears. They hadn't really talked in the past two days, so he wasn't quite updated on what was happening with her. But with the look in her eyes, something was wrong. He could feel it. There was something going on and he wanted to know what.

"Why are you crying? Tell me, why, Rizzie, please… I don't like seeing you like this… Everyone here backstage hasn't seen you this down since… Ever… Even Trish, when she came out here, she was so worried 'cause she thought she might have knocked a screw loose in your head or something! You don't lose any impromptu matches! Never…" he said. He had a match up next in five minutes and he wanted to take this time to talk to her.

"There's a first for everything, John! You should know that in your three years here in the business! There's always a first for everything! You lose your first match sometime during your career! Whatever match it is, you have to lose it sometime! You can't stay on top forever! No one's that amazing! I'm human, damn it!" Riz screamed at him.

John found it odd enough that she was crying, but screaming at him? She never screamed at him unless it was just playful banter. "What is wrong with you, Riz? Where's the girl we all loved? Where's the smile we all used to see? Where's the playful baby we love to coo at? Where's the amazing woman we all looked up to?" he asked, overreacting a little.

"She disappeared, John… Get used to that…" Riz replied with an attitude before walking away from him.

John shook his head and bowed his head down slightly. He licked his lips to ease the dryness and thought of whether he would go and follow her or stay where he was. He looked up and watched her figure walk away slowly. Deciding she, again, would need more time and space before opening up, he just walked to the curtains as he awaited his entrance for his match.

'_Your time is up, yeah, my time is now! You can't see me! My time is now!'_ blasted through the Araneta Coliseum as the fans got up on their feet to greet the reigning WWE Champion. John stepped out on his cue and admired the crowd before him. There were dozens of signs and posters with weird, but amusing, sayings. He raised his two hands and did the hand sign for Y with both, symbolizing his trademark 'Word Life'. After which, he proceeded into the ring and through the ropes. He raised his title belt high for all the people to see.

"**The following match is scheduled for one-fall and it is for the WWE Championship! Introducing first from Boston, Massachusetts… Weighing in at 248 pounds… He is the WWE Champion… JOHN CENA!"** Lilian announced once more to the crowd. The crowd went wild. They gave their favorite thug a warm heartfelt welcome. Soon, John's music died down as the crowd's noise also faded. Everybody began to anticipate the challenger who was soon to come out.

'_Hey… Hey! Nothing you can say! Nothing's gonna change what you've done to me!'_

"**Introducing the challenger… From St. Louis, Missouri… Weighing in at 245 pounds… He is the Legend Killer… RANDY ORTON!"** Lilian announced. The crowd went wild with boos. Mainly because Randy was the biggest jerk on the whole roster and he often prejudiced Riz on being a Filipina. Randy stepped out through the curtains and walked his cocky walk. Onstage, he posed arrogantly as the pyros went ablaze.

He proceeded into the ring and the match began. John took off his shirt and cap, just like how Riz did, and threw it to the waiting audience. He took off his padlock and handed it to the referee after kissing it slightly for good luck. Randy paced around his corner. The bell rang three times as the crowd's noise died down to let the two wrestlers get it on.

Randy and John grappled in the ring. They pushed each other back and forth multiple times before Randy was able to pull a backbreaker. John got back onto his feet and glared at Randy who was trying to strategize. John threw left and rights at Randy but the younger superstar was able to clothesline him.

John got back up, his head aching from its impact to the canvas. He took a deep breath before feeling Randy's arm around his neck. Randy was trying to pull off his finisher, the RKO. Digging up all the strength he had, John pushed Randy down and away from him as to act as a counter to the attempted finisher.

Randy stood back up, only to be brought down by multiple clotheslines. Every time he got up, John's arm would come connecting to his chest and would bring him back down on his back again. At one point, he had felt drained of energy and didn't struggle to get back up. Randy heard the crowd cheering loudly and thought to himself that John was going to pull the Five-Knuckle-Shuffle soon. And he was right. He felt John's knuckle connect with his head at an instant.

Randy stood up, immediately feeling himself being lifted into a fireman's carry on John's shoulders. He had to think quickly if he wanted to get the title. He whispered loud enough for only John to hear, "I know what's up with your Rizzie wizzie… And trust me, Johnny boy; it isn't all that pretty…"

John, upon hearing what Randy had just said, found himself putting Randy down and cornering him in the corner. The crowd was stunned at the sudden change of John's moves. John glared through Randy's eyes as they both tried to glare each other down. Randy had the upper hand on intimidating, unfortunately, since he was three inches taller that John was.

"I am telling you, Orton… You will stay away from Riz 'cause damn as hell knows you are nothing but crap to her… We used to be best friends, Randy… Until I met this girl who was like a little sister to me… You could've at least shown her a little more respect, Orton… She's a human being like all of us here…" John spat the words out at him.

"That's the point, John… You let this girl, this sexuality-confused diva wannabe, get in between our years of friendship… I thought we were a team… I thought you were my best friend… But unfortunately, there was this little girl… This little girl who came into your life and you just had to play with her pigtails…" Randy said.

John felt put down. His friendship with Randy had always been strong. It was now being put to the test by Riz. He cared for her like any other person in the WWE would. She was a like a little joy bursting in them. Then, his best friend comes into the picture. The man he had trusted for the past years, even before he was in the WWE. Why was it this complicated?

Randy took John's trance to his advantage and performed his finisher, the RKO. John was down and unconscious as the crowd went wild. Randy covered John for the pin and awaited the referee's arm slamming down onto the canvas with the one… two… three. The bell rang as his theme music played through the arena again. The crowd's reaction was diverting between cheers and boos.

"**The winner and your NEW WWE CHAMPION… The Legend Killer… RANDY ORTON!"** Lilian said through the microphone as John was being helped out of the ring. Randy was given his now-earned title belt and he basked under the glory of his win. He showed off his belt and posed cockily for all the fans to know that he was the new WWE Champion. No longer John Cena.

Randy went up the ramp and posed on the stage. He raised the title belt high and spun the WWE spinner. Who could say that Randy Orton wasn't supposed to be here with his now-earned title belt? Hell, it was his 'destiny', as he had said from previous in-ring encounters with numerous superstars. Once Randy was backstage and was being treated for his aches, a video played on the Titantron, a huge screen mounted on the wall that showed entrance videos, promos and everything else that came with.

"_**What do you want, Orton? You come out here interrupting Riz and I just so you could tell me how many hoes I've had on me? Well… Orton… She's not a ho… And yeah… So, if you think she's the first… If I have one, then you have none… Y'dig?"**__John was fast in his backfire to Randy as the crowd cheered. This wasn't in the script. But what the hell, they couldn't say 'this isn't in the script!' in front of the crowd._

"_**Well… I've got two things to say, Cena… Number one, about that 'If I have one, then you have none' shit, well, you'd best get your facts straight because if I can recall properly, the proper line would be, if said from my perspective, 'If I have ten, you have seven'… I'm always ahead of you, Cena… Don't forget that…"**__ Randy said._

"…_**And another thing… You're right, she isn't a ho… She doesn't look like a ho… Boy, Cena, you do not know how to pick your girls now, do you? Because judging from what I see, that's not a girl beside you… Looks more like a boy, Cena… She's standing beside you wearing that and talking like that, are you sure that's the kind of girl you'd want?"**__ Randy said further._

"_**Aha…"**__ Riz let out a sarcastic laugh. __**"…Mr. Mighty Cocky A-hole Randy Orton… I'm not a girl?"**__ she faced the crowd and smiled with her mouth open as if she were over astonished. __**"I've got just three things to say to you, Orton… Number one, what the hell is up with the 'If I have ten, you have seven' crap? So you mean, if that's applicable in all areas, you've had ten girls dump you, while John over here has only got seven… Isn't looking good for such a playboy like yourself, is it?"**_

"…_**Oh! And secondly, John doesn't know how to pick his girls? Newsflash, Orton, he chose me. Not you. So, he even better be thankful that he chose someone who has a bigger chance to be a girl…"**__the crowd burst out in laughter. __**"…Lastly, Orton, you could go around wearing a miniskirt and a tube top and I'd still call you normal, for someone like you… So, if I, in these clothes, am not normal, then what's normal for ya? Me wearing a clown suit?"**__the crowd laughed again as Riz smirked._

"_**Well, John…"**__Randy started, obviously livid. __**"Your girl over there does know how to run her mouth… And what a big mouth it is… You talking about normal, Riz? You haven't seen normal in the WWE… Never… You're just new here… So, you'd best respect me 'cause I know you'd never learn anything from that thug over there…"**__ he said as he stepped backstage and left the two in the ring._

_-----_

_Backstage, Randy walked across the hallways when he suddenly bumped into someone. He looked down and saw Riz get back up onto her feet. "Well well well, if it isn't the reigning Women's Champion… Heard you had a blast out there, stupidly trying to beat up Trish for the title… Lord knows you don't deserve that!" Randy said cockily._

_Riz, who had just won the title minutes ago at Unforgiven, glared at Randy. "Oh? And why is that Orton? It's not like your going to deserve it more that I do… After all, it is WWE __**Women's **__Championship…Not the WWE Gay Awards…" she said with a satisfied smirk on her face before walking away, leaving a perplexed Randy behind._

_-----_

_Randy and Riz stood inside the ring facing each other. __**"Look, world… Call the police, the fire department, the FBI, the CIA… whoever you can call! We need to immediately evacuate the Women's Locker Room because there's this person who's trying to feel it up with our lovely divas…"**__ Randy said, sending Riz off her hinges._

"_**Orton, you better get out of this ring and make it snappy 'cause I wouldn't want to disappoint your fans out there by beating you up to freakin' sloppy mush…"**__ Riz said, intending on a shot to the Legend Killer. But he proved to look unfazed by the whole situation. He stood there cockily. __**"Face it, Riz… You're no girl…"**__ he said._

"_**You and I have different perceptions of a woman, Orton… Yours is eye-candy and typical girly-girl schmuck while mine is dignified and proud… Just 'cause I ain't willing to fall down at your feet and beg for you to satisfy me, doesn't mean I'm no longer female… Hell, I ain't like that! I'm a woman, Orton… A proud one… Stick that into your perverted mind…"**__ Riz said before leaving him in the ring._

_-----_

"_**THAT'S IT!"**__ Riz screamed after the Royal Rumble. __**"I've had it with your sheepish nonsense, Randy Orton… So, if you want a challenge, you've got a challenge… I'm here… And you've got one chance to say your piece before I knock your teeth back down your throat!"**_

"_**Chill, Riz… I'm just here… To challenge you to a match on Wrestlemania 21… One-on-one match… And… Stipulation is that whoever wins this match gets the other to do something for him…" **__Randy stated arrogantly as he leant on the top ring rope. __**"So, what'cha say, Riz… Do we have a deal?"**_

_He extended his hand out to her as she still forcibly glared at him. She wanted this over and done so that he would be out of her life. And hell, she will bask in the glory of winning against this freak of nature. She extended her hand out as well and shook his, thus signifying that there was a match set for Wrestlemania between the Legend Killer Randy Orton and the ABC Riz._

_-----_

_Multiple videos were aired, from the contract signing about the match on Wrestlemania, to various match interruptions by both parties. Leading up to the one, the only night where they could prove each other wrong, Wrestlemania XXI, live in Manila. This was the night. And for these two, the fire was just about to begin._

They previewed the storyline between Riz and Randy that had been running hot for two years now. Ever since Riz had entered the WWE, Randy's been hot on her trail. He's been in pursuit of irritating her both onscreen and off screen. The crowd was getting pumped up and ready for the next match, the final event of all final events. But before that, a picture aired on the Titantron.

"_**Riz… You can still back out of this while you still have the chance..." John said as he held the young diva at arms length and looked into her dark brown eyes. "You don't have to go through with this… Randy's just tryin' to get in your head with all this crap he's been saying… You know who you are, Riz… You don't have to prove it to anyone…"**_

"_**I agreed to do this, John… It's only fair that I push through and do what I gotta do…" she explained, taking his hands off her shoulders and looking down at the ground. "He's named the challenge… I've accepted… We signed the contract and now, now thousands of fans out there and perhaps millions 'round the world are countin' on me to do this… I can't let them down, John… I can't let myself down…"**_

"_**I'm just lookin' out for ya, Riz… I don't want you getting' hurt, 'specially after what happened during your championship match out there…" he explained. "I just have a bad feelin' that Randy's gonna try and do somethin' and you'll end up on your back or whatever… But, you're right… You chose to do this…"**_

"_**I did, John… And I'm not afraid to do this… I'm going out there… I'm not gonna let this one man destroy who I am and what I've worked for… The things with Stratus out there? They may not have been the best things to happen to me but I'm still standin'… And I'm ready to fight…" Riz said with a smile. John pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. He followed it up with a kiss to her head.**_

_**He pulled away and took his padlock off his neck. Then, he put it around hers. "Here… I want you to keep this for the meantime… It hasn't always given me good luck but it does so it might with you… And with this with you, I'll be right there cheering you on… I'm never gonna let you down, Riz… I swear on my favorite jersey I never will…" he said. She laughed and the picture went black.**_

_'Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_

Riz's theme music blasted throughout the arena again as she stepped out from the curtains. She was wearing the same thing as earlier: black cargo pants, black razorback sports bra and white rubber shoes. She had white wristbands on either wrist and her hair was still up in that messily stylish ponytail with her bangs slightly swept to one side.

"**The following match is scheduled for one-fall with the stipulation of, when one wins, he or she gets to make the other do one thing, whatever it may be, whenever it may be, wherever it may be… Introducing first is Manila's own… RIZ!"** Lilian announced on the microphone again. The fans cheered once more for their hometown hero as she walked down the ramp and to the ring. She climbed the steel steps and went through the bottom and middle rope. She walked around the ring as she didn't do her posing anymore.

This match, according to the script, would be an unknown match. By that, meaning the winner wasn't known yet. They just made the first part of the match in the script whilst when it would be climaxing, the two superstars will be on their own to rummage something up in their minds. Kind of stupid, according to Riz, since why try to plan a match when you'd stop in the middle of planning it?

'_Hey… Hey! Nothing you can say! Nothing's gonna change what you've done to me!'_

"**Next up is the WWE Champion… He is the Legend Killer… RANDY ORTON!"** Lilian announced once more as Randy stepped out from behind the curtain with John Cena's most treasured possession on his bare shoulder. He posed up on the stage for the fans and followed it up with a wink to the ladies nearby.

The fans were biased. They booed on Randy and cheered on Riz. After all, she was the bigger victim here. Once Randy was in the ring, the match immediately started. Riz took off John's padlock and held it to her heart like always before handing it to the referee. With a quick sign of the cross, she was ready for battle. Riz and Randy locked eyes as two years of burning hatred flamed up once again.

According to the script, it would start off in a way that Randy would always be getting the upper hand since he would always be using his height and weight advantage. But Riz would be able to counter the RKO with a knee to the lower back and she would be getting the upper hand from there. She would be kicking and punching and plain beating Randy down.

What shocked the world the most was when Riz did the AB on Randy. Now, this was off script already. This was real life. A struggle that no one could ever understand burst out in the ring. She pulled her set-up electric chair and with Randy down and out, she covered once for the pin. But he managed to kick out at two and a half.

Not wanting to lose this match, Riz stalked Randy's now frail figure. She squatted down and stalked Randy as he slowly tried to use the ropes as aids to help him get up. Once he was up, she carried him, a man twice her own weight, onto her shoulders in a fireman's carry. The fans went wild at her strength and began to stand up from their seats. Unfortunately, Randy had something in his hand. A very useful thing for him, too. John's padlock.

He had swiped it from the referee's pocket and was going to use it to cheat when he wasn't looking. While on Riz's shoulders and anticipating the Cancellation, he hit Riz forcefully and hard at the temple with the padlock without the referee seeing anything since it was concealed by his body. She felt the cold metal come in contact with her temple as she dropped Randy and fell down on her knees holding her aching head in the process. Randy hid the padlock underneath a turnbuckle and then got down on his knees and knuckles. He was stalking her for his prided finisher.

Once Riz was up and extremely dizzy with a throbbing head, Randy wrapped his arm around her neck and brought her down for the perfect RKO. She was down and out. He put an arm across her waist and trailed another down her arm as the referee counted the dreaded one… two… three.

The bell rang as the crowd was silent. They had no idea how to react. Randy, portraying his sick, perverted, cocky self, bent down to an unconscious Riz and kissed her long on the cheek with a smug smile on his face following. The crowd saw this and booed Randy. The got up from their seats and gave him all thumbs down. The referee handed Randy back his title belt as Lilian announced, **"The winner of this match is the WWE Champion… The Legend Killer… Randy Orton!"**

Rico jumped over the barricade and immediately climbed into the ring. He knew he would be scolded for this but he couldn't bear to see his second eldest sister be maltreated like such. He cradled his sister's head in his arms before glaring up at Randy. He stood up and went face-to-face with Randy. Rico was the tallest in the family with 6"0 at 19. He was about to hit him in the face when referees came out to stop him and pull him back.

Randy ran back up the ramp and stood on the stage as he raised his belt. He took a microphone and said, **"Hey, Riz… I know you probably can't hear me since I've knocked you unconscious… And your little alliance over there wants to sock my gorgeous face… But I just wanted to ask… How does it feel to lose twice in one PPV? In your hometown at that? Well, I wouldn't know since I won twice in yours… So, I'll see you when the time comes, Riz… You're mine now…"**

He dropped the microphone as he walked backstage with a smirk evidently plastered on his features. Rico had been escorted back to his seat with his family. The cameras zoomed in on an unconscious Riz and soon, Wrestlemania 21 went off-air. EMTs jumped to the scene and immediately went over to check on Riz. John ran out as well and climbed into the ring. Minor head trauma. She'll be out for just a couple of hours.

John carried Riz in his arms bridal-style with her head laid on his chest. The crowd cheered for John, the one man who gave their favorite diva lots of tender-loving care and respect. He carried her up the ramp and kissed her on the forehead in the process. Wrestlemania was done for the day with the fans in Manila sad at the sight of Riz losing. As the fans were beginning to exit the coliseum, backstage, everything was such a big mess and flurry.

Riz was back in the medical room. She was lying on the bed with an ice pack to her temple. She had been bruised somewhat near her eye. Plus, there was another slight bruise on the back of her right shoulder where she had fallen earlier from her match with Trish. She had been knocked out for thirty minutes now and John, who was sitting beside her bed in the medical room, was starting to panic inside. He didn't know what to do. He felt so useless. She was in so much pain, both physically and emotionally, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Mr. Cena…" Dr. Philippe Smith, the head doctor of the WWE Medical Team, called for John's attention. "Our young diva here won't be waking for quite sometime… I suggest that, with the number of bruises she's sustained tonight, you take her back to the hotel so that she can get the proper rest before RAW tomorrow night… I'm not so sure if she'll be safe here since most of the superstars and tech teams have left the building…"

"Alright…" John said as he stood up from the chair he had been sitting on. "Thanks, doc… Is there anythin' that I hafta give her? I mean… Like medicine, painkillers, and all of that other medical stuff?" he asked, pertaining to the medications Riz might need when she wakes up or if she'll be in pain.

"Here's a bottle of painkillers… Flanax, actually… It's one of the strongest ones… I've run her records and this prescription has been given to her for quite a number of times before she entered the WWE… I'm sure it'll do fine right now… You know, John, what amazes me the most is that Riz never really took painkillers… She never needed to and she never asked for them… This is quite a shocker…" Dr. Smith said.

"Well, let's just say, doc, that she hasn't really been in the best of states as of late… She's been pushin' people away and actin' like that typical proud strong Riz we always see… I don't know what she's tryin' to say or do but I do know that tonight was pro'lly one of the worst nights of her career…" John said with a slight touch of sadness.

"Every superstar goes through that, John… You sometimes lose in your hometown… And some way, somehow you manage to get back up on your feet and battle it out in the ring again… It happens, John… It happens… You should remember when you lost back in Boston… You were able to spring back up and even win the WWE Championship…" Dr. Smith said.

"Yeah, but that time, Riz was the one who cheered me on and told me I could do it… She always put the smile in my days, y'know, doc… And I kinda miss seein' her all happy… Instead, I just see her lyin' here and basically unconscious… And y'know, doc, for some odd twisted what-the-hell reason, I miss her… I miss who she was…" John said.

"She'll come back, John… You've just got to give her some time to spring back…" Dr. Smith said before placing a comforting hand on John's shoulder and nodding with a smile. John smiled back and watched the doctor walk away to his desk and start fixing his things. John looked at the girl lying down in front of him and took in a heavy sigh before proceeding to carry Riz. He brought her over to the Men's Locker Room. There was no one there anymore anyways.

After that, he went over to the Women's Locker Room and knocked gently on the door. He asked for Riz's things so that he could bring her back to the hotel. Trish, one of the five divas that remained there, collected Riz's things and gave them to John. Trish questioned him about the rose since she had noticed it with Riz's things. John simply shook his head and said he didn't know before retreating back to the Men's Locker Room.

He was driven back to the Crowne Plaza Hotel with Riz beside him by the security guards that the superstars were given. He was sitting in the backseat of a silver Toyota Innova with Riz's head laying down on his chest. He stroked her hair lovingly and kissed her on the forehead every now and then to at least let her know, even in her subconscious, that he was there. He always will be.

After avoiding the numerous fans that had swarmed them when they got to the hotel, John brought Riz back up to their room and laid her down on her bed. He changed her clothes, a thing they often did to each other when the other fell asleep without changing, and took off her shoes. He kissed her gently on the forehead before changing his own clothes and retreating to his own bed to get some sleep. Tonight was a sad one. His surrogate little sister was in the most crushing states ever, he had lost the title, and everything was going haywire.

The next night was another sold out night of RAW. The arena was jam-packed with fans that were going crazy and still had enough energy from last night's PPV. The WWE had a certain hobby of having a house show after every single pay-per-view. It wasn't that it wasn't fun, but sometimes, the superstars were so tired, they looked like they had just risen from the dead.

Riz, fortunately, had woken up earlier that day. John was so happy seeing that she was okay that he practically hugged her to death and smothered kisses over her forehead. He took care of her but she remained quiet and distant. He took care of her in every possible way but her eyes, her eyes glazed over with unshed tears, were always directed away and her lips always sealed.

That night in RAW, the main event was steaming hot. It was John Cena versus Randy Orton: rematch for the WWE Championship. Before the main event, Riz didn't make one single appearance to the fans, believing that she was probably too hurt from last night to come back on air tonight. But that changed when Randy stepped out before the main event and called her out.

"**Last night… It was one of the best nights of my life, I've gotta say…"** Randy said into the microphone cockily, title belt on his shoulder. **"…And today… I promise you people that I'm going to celebrate before my match against that stupid thug, John Cena… So… Since last night I won against your… home… town… hero, Riz… And our stipulations were clear… I get her to do one thing for me… That's why, Riz, I want you to come out here so that I can ask you to do that one thing…"**

_'Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_

Riz stepped out, wearing a pair of black RRJ cargo pants, a black fitted razorback with a loose off-shoulder on one side three-fourths-sleeved white shirt over it, and a pair of white Skechers rubber shoes. Her mass of dark brown hair was half up in a neat half-ponytail with a thick white scrungee and her bangs were swept to the side.

Her family and friends couldn't make it tonight. That's what made everything worse for her. There was no one there to back her up or jump over the barricade to save her from this man if something happens. Nonetheless, she wasn't scared. He was just one man. What else could he do with his perverted mind?

"**What do you want, Orton?"** she said in a dark menacing straightforward voice as she stood up there on the ramp with her hand on her hip. Randy signaled with his hand for her to step down the ramp and into the ring. He was wearing, or probably profiling, with his black dress pants, black half-buttoned polo with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black dress shoes. As per usual, his head was gelled into spikes and his face was the most arrogant thing on the planet.

She followed his wants and walked down the ramp and slid into the ring. She stood up in front of him and leant her weight on her right leg. There was a slight bruise on her left eyebrow and another slight bruise on her right shoulder. **"Remember our little deal, Riz? You know, the one about last night's match?"** Randy asked.

"**Yeah…"** she replied bluntly.

"**I was thinking last night and I've got the perfect idea for what I'm going to ask you to do… After all, it is my celebratory night… I mean… Congratulate me, Riz! I won against your boyfriend! …Shouldn't you be so proud of me?"** he said in all his stupid cockiness. The fans were going crazy just booing him.

"**Oh, yeah, congratulations, jackass, you won… You're happy… Good for you…"** she said in all sarcasm and mock enthusiasm. Her voice was dripping with pure, concentrated sarcasm when she spoke those very words. The crowd cheered her on loudly because of that and because of the annoyed look on Randy's face.

"**I got around to thinking, Riz… And I asked myself… What's the one thing you've never done for me that I would love for you to do?"** he started, in attempt to stop her sarcasm. **"Oh, I know! You're the only girl who's never ever EVER in her career thrown herself at my feet and beg!"**

Riz quirked an eyebrow at his statement and waited for him to go on. **"So… You're going to help me celebrate tonight!"** he said happily. The crowd was flooding with 'uh-oh's' and 'OMGs'. **"Riz, you're going to have the honor tonight of having to strip right here in the middle of the ring to your underwear and of course… Give this newly-crowned champion a deserving congratulatory lap-dance to my music of choice…"** he said.

With every word that came out of his mouth, Riz's eyes grew bigger. **"One more thing… I'm going to strip you…" **he said smugly. Sure, he's pulled off some pretty stupid stuff in the past but this was beyond stupid and by far the craziest thing he's ever done. Could he really ask her to stoop so low and ask her to do such a degrading thing? And in public, too! But being the sport that she was, Riz dropped the microphone and spread out her arms. She mouthed, 'I'm all yours' to him.

"**You're serious? You're going to let me do it?"** Randy said, shocked that she was going to submit herself to his wants. She grabbed her discarded microphone and brought it to her lips. Her eyes were still grazing over with tears. **"A deal is a deal, Orton… You won and you get what you want… I agreed to the stipulation, so I have to comply with it…"** she said.

She took a breath before continuing. **"All of you backstage listen… Orton, I made a promise so I'm going to keep it… So even if this will scratch my dignity, I'll do it… No one from backstage or from the audience or from under this ring will come out and stop whatever you're intending to do… Not John, not whoever… I'm yours in this ring and I will respect our deal and your wants… So, let's get this over with…"** she said before throwing the microphone away again and taking two steps closer to him.

Everyone backstage was shocked at this. She wasn't just one to submit herself to Randy's no good cocky arrogant wants. She would always fight for her dignity and separate what was inhumane from what was stupid. But to some extent, she also had a point. She did sign the contract and shake Randy's hand to agree on the stipulations. She was being a good sport. But did being a good sport mean she had to do this?

Randy let out a smug grin and threw his own microphone away. He handed his title to a referee at ringside and asked for a chair. The referee gave him one and he placed it in the middle of the ring. He sat down on it as the crowd was screaming, 'Riz! Don't do it! He's not worth it!' He pulled Riz closer to him so that she was standing in between his knees. Slowly, but surely, he took her white blouse off, leaving the razorback.

His eyes widened with delight as he began to peel the razorback off her, leaving her in a black strapless bra. His hands trailed down from her abs to the button of her cargos. He slowly unbuttoned it and pulled down the zipper. In his mind, he was wondering why there wasn't any sign of restraint from her, but he chose to ignore it and go on with his happiness.

He pulled down her jeans, leaving her in a pair of tight black short shorts and her rubber shoes. He removed those to and threw them to one side along with her white ped socks. He adored her slim body and ran his hands all over her midsection. He could feel that she was trying to stop herself from crying by the way her stomach bounced every now and then. He snapped his fingers as his theme song blasted through the arena. "Dance." He commanded.

She obeyed and began to dance to his rock theme song around him. She did as she was told and gave him his 'celebratory lap-dance'. She continued to dance as she held back all the fighting tears and pleased him. She spun around and danced against him as he ran his hands across her body every now and then. She bit her lip as she swayed her hips and let him enjoy the sight of her. After the song had ended, she immediately grabbed her clothes and ran back up the ramp. **"Hey! We aren't even done yet!"** he protested.

She was handed a microphone and she said, **"The deal was you strip me and I dance… It doesn't mean I have to stay… So, I'm done, Orton… I'm d-done…"** she said, her voice slightly breaking as she ran to the back and immediately rushed into John's arms. Her bare feet were freezing from the cold floor and her body was quivering.

John, who was waiting just behind the curtain for her to return, took off his shirt and placed it on her. There were cameras filming the whole thing as a promo for the people outside. He hugged her and comforted her before walking her back to the Women's Locker Room and making sure she was alright. After which, he abruptly swore to himself that he was going to avenge Riz, _**"I'm going to get that no good ass for doing this to Riz…"**_

John and Randy's match went on from there. They were fighting once again for the WWE Championship. Randy, being the bearer of the title, was confident of himself. He kept on saying that he was going to win. John, being the challenger, was determined to win back his prized possession. And with Riz as determination and motivation, John won.

Without cheating.

* * *

**Here's an update! Love you all for the reviews! Keep 'em coming so that I update more! M'kay? Hope you guys like this chapter and for all of you out there, this is not a full Randy-bashing story.**

**-_veracruzortongal_**


	7. Follow Me Home

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

* * *

**Chapter Six: Follow Me Home**

After that degrading night on RAW, Riz, along with John and Trish, headed back to the hotel to call it a night. As they rode in the silver Innova driven by the security, Riz sat in the back with her knees to her chest and her cap pulled down above her eyes. She immediately covered herself up after what she did with Randy in a pair of black Nike sweatpants, one of John's white shirts and a pair of black Islander slippers. She felt dirty, to say the least, disgusted with herself.

_**I am moving through the crowd**_

_**Trying to find myself**_

_**Feelin' like a guitar that's never played**_

_**Will someone strum away?**_

The following day was nothing short of silent for Riz. For her, she felt like she'd been thrown in a jail cell and was going to be kept there until eternity. Tonight was the night of the WWE Wrestlemania after-party. It was going to be a night of celebration after one successful and amazing pay-per-view. All the superstars were going to meet up in Makati Shangri-La and they were going to have a blast.

Riz stood there in front of her bathroom mirror and looked at herself. John had left a couple of minutes ago to go talk to some of the other superstars so she was alone in their room now. She looked at herself, from her messed up black hair to the bags underneath her dull brown eyes to the paleness of her skin and lips. Was this still her?

_Riz, I want you to look at yourself in that bathroom mirror after I leave and just look at yourself… I want you to see if this is the person you wanna be… 'Cause as sure as hell isn't run by angels; this isn't the girl I want you to be… You're strong, Rizzie… You've got a great mind and body…Plus, a great personality! Take yourself out of that little shell you've crawled in and be the girl we all love… 'Cause I know that that's the girl you also want to be… I need you back…_

John's words echoed in her ear like an annoying children's song. He was right. This wasn't who she wanted to be. Did she really want to show Randy that she was weak? That he could manipulate her and use her for his own perverted satisfactions? No. This wasn't who she was. This wasn't whom she needed to be. She needed to be herself and forget about everything else in the past. This is the present. No longer the past.

_**And I ask myself**_

_**Who do I wanna be?**_

_**Do I wanna throw away the key?**_

_**And invent a whole new me**_

_**And I tell myself**_

_**No One, No One**_

_**Don't wanna be**_

_**No One**_

_**But me...**_

For the first time in quite some time, Riz smiled at her reflection in the mirror upon hitting a certain mark of realization. Her eyes no longer looked like dark brown but they looked more like bright brown. She smiled at herself and thought that she had to be herself. There was no doubt in that. One man wasn't going to ruin it all for her.

_This is who I am… Just 'cause I danced that in front of him, doesn't mean the world stops and I stop living… He isn't in demand of my life… I am who I am… No matter what happens, I promise myself that I am going to stand up and keep going… 'Cause whatever happens, I know someone's watching me… Guarding me all the time… Someone always will be…_

She jumped into the shower and took a quick cold bath of ten minutes. After which, she stepped out and collected her clothing from her bag outside. She stepped back into the bathroom and raised a playful eyebrow at her reflection, sensing that tonight was going to be both fun and annoying. But who cares? She was going to have a blast.

She blow-dried her hair and put it up into a neat ponytail with her bangs dangling at her forehead and sides of her face. She applied some foundation on her face and evened it out to give herself that natural look. Afterwards, she put some white glittery eye shadow on, followed by some black eyeliner that was applied thinly. She put on some light pink blush and clear mascara, being followed by baby pink lip-gloss. Once she was satisfied with how she looked, she changed into her clothes.

Covering her body was a plain white U2 baby-tee that slightly hugged her curves and a black asymmetrical Bossini below the knee length chiffon skirt. On her feet were white Celine two-inch wedges that had a white buckle on either shoe. After the clothing department, she moved on to one of her favorite things when she dressed up on those rare moments: Jewelry and accessories.

She wore a plain silver chain around her neck that had 'Riz' as a pendant. Accentuating her wrists were a silver Cartier watch with gold design and a white gold charm bracelet that had small stars dangling from it. There were small white diamond studs on her ears and a couple of white skin-sticker gems on the side of her left eye, where the bruise was being hidden. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt satisfied with how she looked. Long gone was the disgusted feeling and the dirtiness of Randy's skin against hers.

_**Your life plays out on the shadows of the wall**_

_**You turn the light on to erase it all**_

_**You wonder what's it's like to not feel worthless**_

_**So open all the blinds and draw the curtains**_

She cleaned up the mess she had created in the bathroom while she was having fun dressing up for once. When all was done, she checked her watch and read the time. 6:30 PM. She had exactly thirty minutes left until the party officially started. With the traffic here in Manila, she needed to hurry up. She grabbed her black N90, the phone John bought for her to replace the one she threw at the wall, and a white handkerchief before running out the door and to the elevator. There were five security guards who immediately huddled around her and kept any fans away.

As per request, she had asked to drive her own car alone and just have the security as escorts in another car or perhaps motorcycles. They agreed and let her drive her own personal car. It was a black 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with plush black leather interior. She hopped into her car and drove away from Crowne Plaza hotel to Makati Shangri-La with another black car following her.

She got to the said hotel and checked in her car with the valet. She entered the hotel and was immediately welcomed by the kids who were with their families there. She signed a couple of autographs and took a couple of pictures with some kids and teens that were there. She even gave one 15-year old boy a kiss on the cheek since he was celebrating his fifteenth birthday on that day.

She checked her watch once more and saw that it was already 7:31. Damn it. They were all going to be thinking that Orton screwed with her head so much that she couldn't bear to attend this party. She said goodbye to her fans and went to the lobbyist and asked which ballroom the WWE party was being held. The kind lady pointed her to a door after getting her name and identification. Riz hurriedly walked over to the double doors. Two doormen opened the doors for her and she stepped in after giving them a heartfelt thank you.

She looked in front of her and found herself to be on top of a staircase. She brought her head down and laughed a little to herself when her theme music played in the background and everyone down there stopped what they were doing and clapped for her. She didn't know if the applause was for her being there tonight or for them finally see her in a skirt for the very first time. Nonetheless, she felt a spotlight on her as she smiled widely and walked down the staircase.

_**No One, No One**_

_**Don't wanna be**_

_**No One**_

_**But me...**_

At the bottom of the staircase, she saw John there with his hand held out to her. She placed her hand in his and he led her all the way to her table with the divas. "Did you plan all this? I mean all with the grand entrance and theme music and all that other schmuck?" she asked him when he had pulled her chair for her.

"It wouldn't be right to treat such a special person just like any other normal somebody…" he said with a genuine smile. "So, I see you did take my advice and looked at yourself in the mirror… Is my Rizzie wizzie back or do I have to go looking for her again? 'Cause judging by the way you look, you're back to who you were…"

She hugged him tightly and said, "I'm sorry, John… I never meant to make you worry… T'was just a bad time, you see… And I didn't mean to push you away… I just felt like I could get through everything on my own… And yeah… So, you're Rizzie wizzie is back, John… You don't have to go looking for her anymore… She's right here in front of you… The happy, strong, independent and proud Riz is back… And she's here to stay…"

"I'm glad, Riz… I'm glad…" he said as he hugged her back and kissed her softly on the temple.

The night progressed with everyone having loads of fun partying, eating and drinking. They were all celebrating a fantastic pay-per-view and Steph McMahon even handed out awards for the corniest things like who got the most wedgies or who had the better hairdo. Everyone was having a blast and having fun. Riz hadn't seen Randy yet and for her, that was a very good thing. She didn't need to deal with him anymore.

_**We are moving through the crowd...**_

"Excuse me, pretty lady…" she heard a voice say from behind her. She was all alone sitting on the divas' table while all the others were dancing on the dance floor. She looked around and saw Randy looking dashing as per usual. He was wearing a white half-buttoned polo underneath a black blazer and a pair of black dress pants and shoes. "What do you want, Orton?" she asked bluntly.

"Riz… I didn't walk here for a fight… I just wanted to ask you to dance…" he said. She stood up and glared straight into his baby blue eyes. "To dance? You came here to ask me to dance? Hell, Orton, wasn't last night enough? Didn't you get enough 'dance' last night?" she said rather loudly with her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Some of the superstars were beginning to look. "Riz… I'm not asking you to dance for me… I'm asking you to dance with me… Just one dance, please… Let's set our differences aside for one dance…" Randy asked, his voice unusually not filled with cockiness and arrogance. He held out his hand to her and waited for her to respond. He did make sense, right? It's just one dance. What could happen?

She reluctantly placed her hand in his as he led her to the dance floor. Everybody vacated the floor as they two occupied the middle. They were all watching intently on what the two were going to do. Randy took this chance and slipped an arm around her small waist while holding her right hand in his left one. She placed her left arm on his shoulder as the music began to play.

'_**Hay, en mi corazón, una inquietud, hoy te veo tan distante. Hay, algo que me aleja de tu amor, de repente tú cambiaste…'**_

El Beso del Final by Christina Aguilera played throughout the ballroom as Randy began to lead her in a passionate Latin dance. Who knew the Legend Killer was good on his feet? Definitely not Riz. She had taken Latin dance in her younger years. She never knew what its worth was until now that she was dancing with the man she hated.

'_**Anoche yo sentí, que me besaste diferente y me quedé, sin saber qué hacer. Yo te conozco y sé, que algo no anda bien, ven dime la verdad. No quiero imaginar que fue el beso del final…'**_

The song played on and on as the two danced together on the wooden dance floor. There was still a slight scowl on Riz's face even when Randy twirled her around. He never took his eyes off hers as it seemed like everyone was watching them like hawks. This was new to all of them, that was for sure. In Randy's mind, he was wondering what made Riz so light on her feet. It was like she was really floating on air since she just floated along with what he was trying to do. She just went with the flow.

'_**Que fue el beso del final…'**_

The song ended as Randy twirled Riz around gently and then dipped her. The people applauded their little dance as they separated immediately. Riz's eyes met Randy's as she quickly tore away from his gaze and ran out the ballroom. Randy followed in hot pursuit as he craned his neck to find her in the sea of people.

Riz asked the valet for her car and they immediately brought it around. She jumped in unnoticed by her bodyguards and drove away from the hotel. Randy also asked for his car and followed her without any security, too. He followed her through the unfamiliar streets of Manila as they got tangled in traffic and all.

Riz went directly to a place she called home and where she could feel safe. She went to her family house which was now just hers. Her own house. The one she had renovated a year ago but never got to use it. She drove through the entrance gates of Valle Verde 2, a prominent village in Manila. One out of six of the Valle Verde villages, as a matter of fact. She watched through the rearview mirror as the guard followed her orders and let Randy in even if he didn't have the official village car sticker.

She drove to her house knowing that Randy was still in pursuit of her. She parked beside the gate of her house and shut off the engine as she watched Randy pull up behind her and turn off his engine, too. She stepped out of her car and screamed, "Like as if the undressing wasn't enough, eh, Orton? Now you have to stalk me?"

Randy got out of his car and walked over to her. "I was just worried that you might lose yourself around here… With you being a diva, it's not safe… Someone might take you away from me and if they did, I may not have someone to pick on every single day of my wonderful life… Even though I did lose the title after one day…" he said arrogantly.

"Well, thanks a lot for the concern, Orton… But I don't need your pity… I'm a grown woman and I can handle myself… So, if you don't mind… Leave me alone and let me rest in my own house for once…" she said and stomped away in the opposite direction of her house just in an attempt to get away from him. It was nice to be out since the air was pretty cool and the stars were out and shining. Randy followed her and asked, "You live in that big house?" as he pointed to the two or three-story pale orange house that was now behind them.

"Yeah… But I'm on the road all the time so I never have the chance to go home… What's your point, Orton? Haven't you bothered me enough? There are so many other divas out there that you could bother… Why do you always have to stick to me like glue and annoy me like hell is about to break lose?" she asked, rather irritated. But before he could answer, the rain poured. "Oh great… It's summer in Manila and it rains this hard?" she said.

Randy, acting on unnatural instinct, took off his blazer and draped it over her shoulders since she was wearing a white shirt. We all know that when white gets wet, it gets pretty see-through. They walked briskly back to the house as the rain drenched the both of them. Riz quickly unlocked the steel iron gates before they ran in to get under the roof of the small patio up front. Randy swiped the water off his face while Riz held the blazer closer to her. "Do you think this will let up anytime soon?" he asked.

"Judging by the heaviness, it ain't gonna be letting up in time for us to go back to the hotel…" she said. Then, she turned to him and asked, "Do you have any clothes with you in your car?" he nodded in response. "Go get them… You're staying here tonight… I can't afford to let you drive back and drown in that kind of rain…" she said.

He looked at her skeptically and shrugged his shoulders knowing that she did have a point. He couldn't risk his greatness by driving back to the hotel and withstanding this pouring rain. He ran back out the gate and to his car where he got a duffel bag full of emergency clothes. He ran back in and thankfully the bag didn't get too wet.

Riz opened the front door to her house and invited him in. He was soaked to the skin. His white polo was now translucent and clung to his body. His pants were all soggy and wet. She walked in and to the laundry room where she got a couple of fresh towels and walked back to where he was. She threw him a towel and said, "Here… Dry up… You might get sick in those…"

He did as he was told and took off his polo so that he could dry up. He kicked off his shoes and dried his feet, too. He looked around the house and noticed that it was a rather modern house. The floors were wooden on one side and tiled with white on the other. All the walls were painted a fresh coat of white and so were the ceilings. The furniture was pale light brown and the other woodworks were darkly varnished. There was noticeably an entertainment room which had an air-conditioning system, a 41-inch flat screen plasma TV, a home entertainment system and a white L-shaped couch.

The living room compromised of two pale light brown three-seater couches and a brown coffee table in between them. There were various picture frames everywhere and other stuff here and there. Randy watched as Riz walked around the room barefoot with his blazer covering her until her thighs. She turned on some pale orange lights as she motioned for him to follow her. "Come… I'll show you a place to sleep…" she said.

He followed her up the staircase. There were two flights of stairs with a landing between them. On that landing, there was another staircase connecting to another room but they didn't go that way. He followed her up the second flight of stairs and there were three doors. They walked past the door nearest the stairs and they went to the second door. "Here…" she said as she threw open the wooden door. "You can sleep in my old room…" she said.

"Your old room?" he asked quizzically. She nodded and said, "This used to be my room back in my teenage years… The other one over there near the stairs is my sister's… And, of course, you can't sleep in there so I'm letting you sleep in my room…" she said as she pointed into the pale yellow-colored room. "I used to be a girly-girl, y'know…" she said when she saw Randy quirk his eyebrow at the room's color.

She pointed to two doors in the room. "This door over here is strictly forbidden, okay? It's my walk-in closet so it's filled with all my personal junk… Plus, it's locked anyways so you wouldn't get in…" she pointed to a door that had a black sticker with the words 'Keep Out or Die' printed in blood red. "This other door is the bathroom… There are towels and soap and toothpaste and everything else you would need in there… I asked my sis to clean this place up before I got here to Manila…" she explained. "Wait, Riz… I never got to ask… You have a sister?" he asked.

"Yeah… I do… I've got one older sister and a younger brother, the one who went inside the ring during 'mania, but that doesn't matter now… You go take a hot shower and warm yourself up… Make yourself at home… If you need me, I'm in the master's bedroom… The room farthest from the stairs…" she said as she was about to leave the room. "One more thing, Orton…" she said before closing the door. "I'm letting you stay here, not 'cause I like you, but 'cause I'm nice enough not to let you swim back to the hotel…"

Randy watched the door close before he looked around the room he was staying in. There was a queen-sized bed with immaculate white sheets. On top of the bed were pillows with white covers. The bed's headboard was covered with a white sheet of cloth. The floors were made out of varnished wood and the walls, as has been stated, were pale yellow. There was a small couch covered with white in one corner and a hammock in another. He looked around the walls and saw many picture frames. There were collages and solo-pictures of Riz and her friends. He looked at all the pictures ranging from when Riz was still a baby to her college graduation. She was indeed a photogenic one. One picture caught his eye, though. It was unusual.

After tearing himself away from the picture, he walked over to the bathroom and took a warm shower like she had said. He dressed in a pair of black boxers and a plain white Nike sleeveless shirt. He walked out the bathroom and looked outside the window. The rain was really coming down, that's for sure. He grabbed his phone and shut it off, not wanting to be disturbed for the rest of this night. He shut off the lights and climbed onto the bed. Falling asleep with the sound of the rain, Randy drifted to oblivion.

_In the middle of the night, as the thunder was booming loudly, Randy heard his bedroom door open and close. He was facing away from the door so he didn't know who it was. Well, there could only be one person, right? Suddenly, he felt a presence in front of him. He felt himself being poked in the shoulder as a sweet, child-like voice said, "Randy…"_

_He opened his eyes and saw Riz crouching down beside the bed face-to-face with him. Her hair was down and falling at the sides of her face and her eyes were like doe eyes. "I don't mean to wake you up, Randy… But John isn't here and… I'm afraid of thunder… And… I can't stand being alone in the other room… Could I stay here with you? I-I'm just scared…" she pleaded._

_He looked at her skeptically for a moment before seeing the tears that were about to fall down her face. She looked so irresistible that very moment. It was so obvious that she was really scared. After all, they hated each other and here she was in front of him. "I know we don't get along… But please, Randy… Thunder really scares me… I just need to be with someone… Please…" she practically begged._

_He lifted the blankets that were covering him and motioned for her to join him. She climbed onto the bed and snuggled up to him. Randy noticed that all she was wearing was a pair of shorts and a spaghetti-strap top. She was shaking like mad so he hugged her close to him. Thunder boomed again as Riz buried her face in that little spot between Randy's neck and the pillow. He felt silent tears touch his skin as he simply held her closer to him and let her skin touch his. He noticed how her small figure fit into his arms so perfectly._

_For the first time, he felt how it was to have her so close to him. Usually, they would always been ten meters apart since they always fought. Now, he was holding her in his arms and he felt the skin on her legs touch his. Her body was so close to hers that he couldn't feel anything but absolute comfort. It felt different, yes. But it felt good. The question was:_

**_Was this all just a dream?_**

* * *

**So, yeah! I know this was a bit weird. Haha. But it's really bound to get more twists and turns as it progresses. For any clarifications, review and I'll answer. Haha. Here's a sneaked update since I'm supposed to be continuing studying Asian History. Lmao. Review, people! Pwease?**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	8. He's Only Human

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

* * *

**Chapter Seven: He's Only Human**

Randy woke up the next morning feeling the sunlight hit his face. The curtains were drawn open and there was sunlight streaming into the pale yellow room. He looked around the bed he was laying on and found out that he was alone. Could it have been just a dream that Riz snuck up with him in the middle of the night or was it reality? Did she really come begging for him to hold her in his arms last night?

Deciding to no longer debate with himself since he was getting a migraine, he stood up from the bed and went straight to the bathroom. He checked his watch which was laid on the white-tiled counters and saw that it was 7 AM. _Damn it! What am I doing up this early in the morning?_ He asked himself upon seeing the time. His eyes grew as big as dinner plates as he saw the little hands pointing to the numbers on his Rolex watch.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and saw that his hair wasn't really mussed up but it was rather all over the place. Deciding that he needed a shower, especially from last night's festivities, he shed his clothes and stepped into a cold shower this time, different from the warm one he took last night after being soaked in the rain. He took the small bottle of emergency shampoo he always took with him and rinsed his hair from the sweat that was there. For some odd reason, he kept on thinking about last night; on whether it was reality or he was simply dreaming. _Maybe I was dreaming… Wait! I'm dreaming about Riz? _He thought cautiously.

He stepped out of the shower soon after and dried himself with a towel. He took some of his clothes; a pair of Lee black denim jeans and one of his signature black Randy Orton shirts; and clothed himself. He slipped on his black shoes and headed out of the room where he smelled breakfast brewing. He looked to the side of the room where Riz slept last night and saw that the door was open. So, she was up.

He walked down the stairs and turned to the direction of the kitchen where he saw Riz sitting on one of the barstools of the island counter in front of the TV. She was dressed in a pair of loose black pajama bottoms and a white baby-tee. So, her outfit was miles different from the one she wore last night in his 'dream'. Her feet were bare as her legs dangled from the edge of the barstool. She spun her head and greeted him with a small smile. "I see you're finally up…" she said.

"Yeah… I was actually amazed at how I managed to wake up this early… Usually I'd sleep in when no one would be waking me up…" he admitted as he walked over to the island counter and looked at the spread. There was this thick brown gooey oatmeal-like stuff in a bowl, a carton of milk, a jar of sugar and a mug of milk chocolate. "What's for breakfast?" he asked.

"I thought I'd take the initiative to make you some breakfast… That brown stuff over there is chocolate rice… Particularly _champorado_ for us here in the Philippines… Come… I'll make you a batch…" she said as she stood up and grabbed a bowl from one of the drawers nearby. He sat down on the nearest stool and looked at the TV in front of him. She was watching a replay of Wrestlemania 21 and the RAW that followed it the next night.

He watched her spoon some of the chocolate rice into a smaller bowl then add milk and sugar to it. She mixed it well for a couple of minutes then placed the bowl in front of him. He looked at in skeptically before asking, "Are you sure this is edible? I'm kinda new to this so I'm not really so sure…"

"Just try it, Orton… It won't bite you…" she said with a smile as she ate from her own bowl and followed it up by drinking some milk chocolate drink. He looked at it before taking the spoon and lifting a spoonful of the brown stuff. He put it in his mouth and he instantly tasted the sweetness and bitterness at the same time. The rice was soft and chewy while the chocolate was simply divine. Altogether, it was an amazing dish. He continued to eat it until he finished up the bowl.

Riz looked at him and smiled. Not in the evil kind of way, mind you. She didn't put laxative or any other drug in his food. She was that nice to him. She went back to finishing her own meal and watching the TV. The part where she was dancing for Randy came up on the screen and she felt nothing but butterflies in her stomach. Here she was, sitting just a couple of inches from the man who had just degraded her, and she even welcomed him into her own home.

Her train of thought was suddenly broken by Randy saying, "You dance well…"

She looked at him like he had grown three heads and quirked that trademark right eyebrow of hers. He looked at her and smiled. "I'm serious… For someone I thought that wasn't really that good, you've proved me wrong… You dance well… I mean that really seriously… Most people find it hard to dance to my theme music without going crazy… And you, for some odd reason, managed to pull it off without a hitch…" he said. It was awkward being this close to her.

"Thanks…" she said bluntly. She meant the gratitude but everything he had just said was still rather painful. So, before he had the chance to look up to her for her dancing ability, she was nothing to him. So, she had to do a freakin' lap-dance for him so that he could notice how well she could sway her hips and shake her rear. Wow, that was so flattering.

Breakfast went by with silence as they drank up their cold milk chocolate. After eating, Riz cleaned up the table as Randy watched his match with John over and over again. She rinsed out the plates and dried them before placing them back in their proper place in the cabinets. She walked up the stairs and walked into her old room, the room which Randy slept in. The sheets and pillows were still a mess and his clothes were scattered everywhere.

She took it upon herself to fix his clothes and place it neatly beside his duffel bag. She also started fixing up the bed. She folded the blankets first before placing the pillows in a neat stack on the bed. She straightened out the bed sheets and stood up straight. She was satisfied with her cleaning. She was standing by the bed with her back facing the wall so she didn't know Randy had been standing there looking at her. She walked over to a picture frame hanging on the wall opposite the door and ran her hand through the crisp golden swirl frame. It was the only golden frame there. The rest were designed with silver glitter; black and hot pink paint.

Randy walked over to her and stood beside her. "I was supposed to ask you this morning… This picture, it just sends this vibe to me… Could you tell me who he is?" he asked. The picture inside the frame was one of Riz and a guy. The guy had jet black hair and green eyes. He looked pretty muscular and he had slight dimples like that of John Cena's. He was seated on a swing with Riz on his lap. They were both laughing about something, but nobody could tell what. In Riz's hand was a white rose. At the bottom of the picture was:

**El día esto se levantó las vueltas que el rojo es el día usted sabrá que puedo estar parado en mis dos pies sin usted... Porque ése es el día algún otro en las necesidades del mundo su amor... He conseguido demasiado de él...**

"He's my best friend, Randy… He's my best friend…" she said as she pulled her hand away from the frame like as if it had just electrocuted her. She turned to face him and said, "We better get ready to leave soon… They must be looking for us back at the hotel… I'm going to go get ready and we'll leave at 8:30, 'kay?"

Soon enough, they left for the Crowne Plaza hotel with Riz leading the way. When they did get there, people swarmed them with questions, especially John who was noticing quite a similarity in the departure and arrival of his two friends. Well, one was his ex-best friend and the other was his best friend. "Riz, where the hell have you been? And you, too, Randy!" he shouted.

"I drove away from the hotel and found myself driving underneath the heavy rain… So, instead of coming back here and probably drowning, I decided to go to my house and stay there for the night… I could have died under that storm last night… Thank the Lord it still stopped, y'know…" she said her excuse.

"I was driving around and then the rain came down… So, I saw this nearest hotel and booked a room for the night… Didn't want my gorgeous face to be discovered under a pile of trash…" Randy answered cockily. A lie. But yes, both did feel that they had to cover up what they had done. After all, for everyone there, it would be so unnatural.

"Yeah, it's not like people would differentiate the trash from your face…" Riz muttered under her breath.

"Yeah, and you know, Riz, I'm still wondering why you couldn't have just died out there in that storm…" Randy shot back.

"Oh, you know, Orton… I'm just formulating this thing in my head… Did you book a room at a local gay hotel? I heard that Randy Orton has special accommodations there…" she said with an attitude. John rolled his eyes at the two. Back to square one. To think he was even hoping that they got along after last night.

"Very funny, Cruz… At least when I'm home, I have a family to go home to… Where's yours? You see… You live all alone in your little house…" Randy said.

"At least I make my family proud by being straight and not being gay like you…" she said with a cross of her arms.

"Who ever said you were straight?" Randy asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"You two can catfight all day and nothing would ever happen to you two!" John said, obviously pissed off at the two like always. "Now, Riz, stop catfighting with Orton 'cause we seriously need to talk… And you, Orton… Go back up to god-knows-where and do god-knows-what or whatever… Just, please, could you two separate ways for a couple of hours? I'm tired of you two at it all day!" he said.

Randy just quirked a cocky eyebrow before smirking and walking away. He walked over to the elevators and headed up to his room to call probably rest. John turned to Riz and shook his head. "Rizzie… I was so worried 'bout you last night… You could've at least called or texted to tell me where you were so I wouldn't have paced my ass of in the room…" he said in that big brother voice. So, this was what he wanted to talk about.

"I wasn't feeling well last night, John… Didn't have enough energy from the party and driving, I guess…" she replied with a slight shrug of the shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled down at her. "I'm just lookin' out for ya… Y'know, I was beginning to think that you spent the night with Orton but I think that would be impossible judgin' from the way you just catfighted earlier…" he said. She laughed and hit him playfully on the chest.

"By the way, where's your family? It seems like they just disappeared after 'mania… Never got the chance to meet 'em…" he said. In the two years that they had been friends, he had never met her family whilst she had met his. The WWE often went to Boston and so Riz got to have dinner with the Cenas. They liked here and treated her like one of their own. John was so excited to finally meet Riz's family. But unfortunately, with her mood swings, dealing with her was kind of rough in the past few days.

"You'll have the chance to meet them, John… They're just pretty busy right now…" she explained, her eyes rather downcast. The rest of their stay in Manila, John never got to meet the Cruz's. They were always out of action or somewhere else. Honestly, he felt like there was some family problem. He thought that maybe her family wasn't as close as she portrayed them to be.

**Survivor Series 2005**** – ****November 4, 2005****(Manila, Philippines)**

Survivor Series. Joint pay-per-view between WWE brands RAW, SmackDown and ECW. The Araneta Coliseum was once again packed with the WWE crew fixing up the ring for that night. Backstage, as usual, superstars were rehearsing their lines and practicing their promos. Some of them were training backstage and doing a little stretching before the PPV began so that they would be ready and energized.

The pay-per-view started off with the Filipino fans screaming at the top of their lungs. They were so happy that the WWE was back in the Philippines with another PPV yet again. The show started with a Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) match between Edge and RVD. Following it was a streetfight between the Undertaker and Kane. Next up was the Tag Team Championship match between Brian Kendrick and Paul London vs. The Hardy Boyz, Matt and Jeff Hardy.

Then came one of the hottest matches of the night. Riz vs. Trish Stratus for the Women's Championship. The fans were back on their feet as, _'Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_ blasted throughout the arena and out stepped Riz. **"The following match is scheduled for one-fall and it is for the WWE Women's Championship… Introducing first, the challenger… She is the ABC of the WWE… Manila's own… RIZ!"** Lilian said.

She was wearing a pair of Jam khaki cargos and a baby-blue short-sleeved hoodie along of course with her ever so useful white Skechers rubber shoes. She smiled up to the familiar crowd and walked down the ring doing the hip-hop step, creep-walk. Once she got to the ring, she did her trademark ring entrance: shifting from foot to foot and climbing up the second turnbuckle with a wink and pluck of the hoodie.

_(Giggle) '…I don't care what y'all say… Whoa! It's time to rock and roll!'_

"**Introducing the WWE Women's Champion… From Toronto, Canada… Trish Stratus!" **Lilian said. Trish stepped out and showed off her Women's Championship belt. Some of the crowd booed and some cheered her on. It was just like Wrestlemania night. The crowd was almost the same and their reactions were like that, too. Plus, the match was fairly the same, as well. It was not scripted due to the boost in ratings during Wrestlemania. The McMahons thought that Riz and Trish were fine on their own outside in that ring.

Riz shed her hoodie to reveal her usual outfit, a white razorback sports bra. She gave up her dog tags to the referee like before and did the sign of the cross. Trish surrendered the title belt to the referee, too, and went over to her corner. The bell rang three times signaling the beginning of this match.

The match started off and they were grappling each other in the ring. Trish got the upper hand and slammed Riz down face first into the canvas. Riz stood up and held her aching forehead. She stood her ground once again as Trish prepared to catch her with a couple more blows. Trish was able to corner the younger diva in a corner and hit her with some backhand chops to the chest, following it up by licking her hand a couple of times and slapping it onto the younger diva's chest again.

Riz managed to gain her composure and hit Trish with a slap to the face. Then, Riz took Trish and Irish-whipped her across the ring to hit the opposite turnbuckle, following it up with a clothesline. But unfortunately, Trish was able to duck and spear Riz across the abdomen to gain the upper hand again. With Trish straddling her waist and throwing combinations of lefts and rights, Riz was left blocking her face with her arms.

But quick thinking did her well as she was able to hook her legs onto Trish's shoulders and reverse their position for the pin. One… Two… Trish kicked out. Now, the champion was back with a vengeance as she performed a perfect standing drop kick to Riz's abdomen. Riz backed up against the turnbuckles and caught herself. She launched herself and lunged to clothesline Trish, but the veteran was once again able to evade it with the MaTrish.

Trish did a handstand from the MaTrish and caught Riz's head in between her ankles as she performed a hurricanrana to the young diva. Riz landed on her lower back therefore sending pangs of pain shooting up and down her spine. Trish took the chance and did another dropkick to Riz's back; thus, sending the younger diva writhing in pain.

Trish covered Riz for the pin but she kicked out at two. Riz stood up while Trish was menacingly arguing with the referee about his counting. Trish was distracted. Good. Riz hit the AB on Trish even though her back was hurting like hell. Trish was down. Riz took the pin but the veteran kicked out at two and a half. Riz got up and stalked the Women's Champion; thus, earning cheers from the fans in the Araneta Coliseum.

Trish was up and half-conscious of what was happening. Riz took the veteran and immediately loaded her onto her shoulders into a fireman's carry. With a simple wink and an instant smirk, she swung Trish to her front and slammed her down onto the canvas. The perfect Cancellation. Riz ignored the pain in her lower back and covered Trish for the pin. One… Two… Three!

"**The winner of this match and your NEW 6-TIME WWE WOMEN'S CHAMPION… RIZ!"** Lilian announced as 'Who's that girl?' blasted through the arena. Trish was helped out by the medics as Riz was handed the WWE Women's Championship. She fell down onto her knees and held the belt to her chest as if hugging it. The referee raised his right arm up as a sign of victory.

Riz climbed onto the second turnbuckle and raised the belt up high. The pointed to the sky and did the sign of the cross once more. The pointed to all the fans and showed of her belt some more. She was happy. No. She was ecstatic. She jumped down from the turnbuckle as the referee handed her back the dog tags. She pointed to the cameras filming her as she said, "John! Thank you!"

She slipped out of the ring still basking in her victory and triumph and ran over to where her family was at ringside. She climbed over the barricade and saw that not only was her family there, but her best friend, Nikka, too. They shared a group hug before Riz turned to her father and hugged him tightly. There were tears streaming down her face as she whispered into his ear while covering her mouth with the title, "Gracias, papa… Muchas gracias… I couldn't have made it this far without you… No deseo imaginar vina sin usted… Te quiero, papa… Te quiero…"

She hugged Celine and Rico at the same time. She moved over to her best friend and hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you're here, Niknik… I don't want to ever imagine winning this belt without you by my side…" she said as more tears dared to fall down her rosy cheeks. They pulled away as Riz wiped away the tears and smiled. She said bye to them and ran to the crowd. She slapped some hands and celebrated with her hometown fans. She even took one six-year old little girl, carried her and let her hold the title.

She exited through the audience and out into the parking lot. She took the other way around to get backstage. When she entered the double doors, everybody clapped for her loudly. Some techs shook her hand and some congratulated her. The divas all screamed and jumped along with her. But she spun her head, saw John and immediately ran up to him. She jumped onto him and wrapped her legs around his waist as he spun her around while they both laughed.

"You did it, Rizzie wizzie! You're the Women's champ now!" he said as he still held her in mid-air. "Now, look! You and I both have the gold! We're back to being number one, Riz!" he screamed as she laughed at his silly antics. Another match had started outside and it had been going on for about ten minutes now, but they were somewhat to busy to notice. They just kept on celebrating with Riz.

Suddenly, a rush of EMTs passed them by with a stretched and lots of bandages. The medics ran out to the ring as everyone suddenly shifted their attention to the screen that was showing what was happening outside. All the divas brought their hands to their mouths in shock as Riz just stood there trying to take in what was being aired. The superstar was a bloody mess out there, and his match wasn't even done.

The stretcher with the said superstar passed by Riz as she carefully looked at him. Everything went in slow motion as his body was being carried out of the arena. There was a bone sticking out here, blood there, a cut here, a misplaced bone there. He was a mess. And his eyes! They were half-lidded. They looked so pitiful. Riz looked on as the body of Randy Orton was being carried out.

For the next twenty-four hours, everyone was at loss at what had just happened. Randy was immediately ambulanced to The Medical City and was being treated. Nobody even remembered much about the rest of the Survivor Series. They just sat there and wondered about what could've happened to the Legend Killer. The afternoon after Randy's accident, the whole WWE roster was called to a meeting in one of the ballrooms by Vince McMahon himself. There were no other personnel inside. Just the WWE superstars.

"This may come as a shock to some of you… Randy Orton, our proclaimed Legend Killer, had an accident last night, as most of you know… We immediately sent him to the hospital and he was checked up on by several doctors… They have come to a conclusion that Randy has a severe concussion, his left shoulder is once again damaged, only now it is worse because it was totally dislocated, and he has a fractured right calf that split right through the skin…" Vince said. All the superstars gasped.

"Randy was not cleared to do any walking, flying, wrestling… Anything at all! So, he would have to remain here in Manila until further notice…" Vince said. Everyone in the room was murmuring and some were getting teary-eyed though they hated him. But Riz? She had no reaction. "One superstar will have to come here every month to check up on him and make sure he's alright… He will be confined to the hospital and will be out of reach from the fans… I-" Vince was able to say no more when Riz stood up.

"Excuse me, sir… But may I say something?" she said, her face still rather emotionless. "Don't worry, I won't make any side comments and violent reactions…" she said. Vince nodded. Riz placed her title belt back on the steel chair she sat on. "I'm volunteering to take Orton in for the time being… Time being, meaning while he is out of action from the WWE…" she said. Everyone lifted a questioning eyebrow.

Steph McMahon took a microphone and said, "Wait, Riz… You two hate each other… Why would you offer to take him in?"

"'Cause, my dear Steph, though Orton and I don't agree most of the time, I can't help but to think of what he's going through… Sure, he's my worst enemy, but enemy or not, Orton is still a human being… And he gets hurt… He has feelings… Whatever you do, he still has a heart no matter how frozen it is…" Riz said as some superstars chuckled. "… As a person, I, personally, wouldn't want to be stuck in a hospital room for so many months… Granted, someone else can take him in, but who else has a house, a home here in Manila? I'm just laying out what I think, Steph… And honestly, though I hate Orton's guts, I just want to help…"

"I can see where you're coming from, Riz…" Vince said. "…And I'm willing to give you that chance to take Randy in but we've got one little… No, wait… Big problem… You're the Women's Champion as of last night… So, you can't leave the WWE for a long time such as this…" he said as everyone's attention was quickly focused on Riz.

She looked down at her title for a second and sighing before looking back up to meet Steph's waiting eyes. "I'll surrender my title." Riz said sharply as everyone gasped. She was willing to go this far? "…And don't think that I'm doing this for the sole reason of Orton, aiiite? I also have to surrender my title 'cause Vince, I took a check-up earlier this morning with my doc, and apparently, I need to go to therapy again…" Everyone raised a questioning eyebrow.

"If in case no one knew, I've had scoliosis since I was a little girl and I take therapy for it… Last night took its toll on my back so I need to go and take therapy again to snap it back into shape… So, Steph, don't make any fake reasons… I want the fans to know the truth… That I'm leaving 'cause I need to take therapy… And just don't tell 'em that I'm gonna be takin' care of Orton…"

Steph understood every single word and nodded her head to the young girl. With that said and done, the superstars were dismissed and they all went their separate ways. As usual, there was a RAW house show after the PPV. Before the house show started, John talked to Riz. "You really are an angel to everyone…" he said. He seemed calmer and paler than usual.

She smiled and said, "Well, I try…" before they both burst out into hysterical laughter, with his rather softer.

At the very last part of RAW, Riz came out to the ring with Steph before the WWE fans of Manila. **"Heya, guys and gals… Yes, I know… I won last night… Aren't y'all happy for lil' ol' moi?"** the crowd cheered. **"Well… I've gotta tell ya, I'm as happy as hell, too… I mean, six times! Six times! That's more than what one hand of mine can count! 'mazing, isn't it?"**

"…**And seriously, I couldn't have done it without you guys behind me… You supported me and I'm really really grateful for that… Last night, I've proven **_**na angat nga ang Pinoy!**_**" **she said as she raised her title belt and the crowd cheered. **"But, I have some news for all of you here and 'round the world…"**

Riz turned to Steph and handed her the title. The fans gasped and all started to murmur. **"Steph, I'm surrendering my title, my reign, my precious…"** she exaggerated as the fans laughed a little. **"…It's not 'cause I don't want it… Just 'cause I have to go out of business for some time… I'll be out of the WWE for a couple of months or so… For the prime reason of: I went to the doctor this morning… And tests have confirmed that I, Riz, have to go out of business and get therapy since my innate scoliosis has struck back with a vengeance…"** she said once again as some of the fans laughed at her acting while others cried.

"**So, this isn't goodbye, people! What's with the tears? I promise you all that I will be back… And when I'm back, I promise you, I will regain the WWE Women's Championship… For the meantime, Steph, take care of that for me… I don't want it gettin' hurt…"** she acted again as the crowd smiled. **"If ever it cries, call me at this number… And if it goes lookin' for mommy, tell it that mommy will be right back! 'Cause that's my baby, Steph…"** Riz said with acting like a crying mother with an accent. **"…That's my baby…"**

"**Enough with the dilly-daddle, people… So, you guys be good… And yes, as I have said… I shall return… Just quoting Douglas McArthur…"** Riz said, leaving the crowd with one final laugh before her theme music played and she left the ring with her head held high. At least she knew she was giving up the title for a good reason. A very good reason, at that.

That same night, after RAW, Randy was transported via ambulance to Riz's house in Valle Verde. He was conscious at that time and he didn't know where he was being brought. But when he was carried out and into a house, he noticed the same house and he smiled. He was taken up the stairs via stretcher and they took him to a room. A different room from the one he slept in before. But, he was too dizzy to notice.

Next thing he knew, Riz was in the room with him as the medics left. She fixed the pillow beneath his head them covered him with a nice warm blanket. She smiled at him before saying, "I'll explain everything when you finally get back to your right senses… Right now, you need rest… Close your eyes and go to sleep…"

He nodded and closed his eyes. Soon, he felt Riz's lips connecting with his forehead and her hand running through his hair gently. She tucked him in some more and she stayed there until he fell asleep. He didn't know why she was there. He didn't know what she was doing or why she was doing it. All he knew was that she was taking care of him; and for him, that was enough of an answer for now. The lights went off in the room as tranquility surrounded the place.

…And Randy dreamt that same dream he did when he last slept in that house.

* * *

**Hi! I am updating, but I am moving so fast here, I don't even think I'm human anymore. Lol. About the Spanish up there, I'm not quite sure of the grammar. So if anyone wants to help me, well, you're free to do so. Lmao. Now, I've got to go.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed! Y'all know the drill, R&R!**

**-_veracruzortongal_**


	9. It's Who She Is

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

* * *

**Chapter Eight: It's Who She Is**

_John went to check up on Riz and Randy the day after the RAW house show. He had asked Riz for her home address so that he could go and visit her just to see how things were for the first night. As soon as he got to the house, he was welcomed heartily. "Hi, John! Come on in! Randy isn't up yet but breakfast is ready…" she said._

_His movements were slow and weak. His face was pale and colorless. His eyes were rather red and dull. He looked tired and sleepy. His posture was non-existent and he couldn't seem to keep his eyes open. "Are you okay, John? You don't look so good to me…" she said as he sat down on the couch in the living room. He nodded. "Just a sore throat…" he said in a raspy voice. "It'll wear away soon…"_

_But Riz's instincts on sicknesses weren't one to be fooled now. There was something wrong with John. She knew that. She walked closer and sat down beside him. She brought her hands up to his neck and felt his temperature. She suddenly took her hands back upon feeling the sudden wave of heat. "John! You're freakin' flaming hot!" she exclaimed._

_He couldn't get a word out before she started persistently dragging him up the stairs. "Come on, John, you need to go up and sleep… You need to rest and let that fever go down!" she said to him despite his protests as she guided his frail figure up the stairs. She brought him to the same room that Randy was in the first time he slept there; her old room. She placed him gently on the bed and covered him up with the sheets. She walked over to the airconditioner and turned it on low just so he wouldn't melt in the heat._

_She ran to her old bathroom and grabbed a thermometer. She shoved the device into his ear and clicked the button. When the beeping sound echoed through the room, she looked at the numbers and was shocked to death at what she saw. 39.1__o__C. She immediately tucked him in the sheets and kissed him on the forehead. "John…" she started. "You've got a high fever… I'm going to need you to rest, 'kay? I'm going to go get some stuff for you… I'll be right back…"_

_He nodded wearily as he closed his eyes and scrunched up his face at the pain hitting his head. She ran out the door and to through the door farthest from the stairs. To the right was the door to where Randy was. To the left were curtains leading to Riz's current bathroom and dressing room. She went into her dressing room and checked some of the cabinets. She got some biogesic, a couple of face towels and another blanket. She ran back to her old room and placed the things on the bedside table._

_After that, she ran down the stairs and to the fridge to grab two bottles of mineral water. She ran back up and walked into the now proclaimed, John's room. She grabbed the biogesic and opened a bottle of water. She walked over to John and shook him gently. "John… I've got some medicine for you here… It'll take the headache away…" she said._

_He willingly sat up a little as Riz popped the orange tablet into his mouth while supporting his head with her hand and then bringing the bottle of water to his mouth. He drank a few gulps before lying back down. She placed the water aside and covered up John again. She got the other blanket and covered him with it, too. She got a face towel and wet it with hot water before wringing out the excess. She placed it gently on John's head to help his fever._

_She caressed his hair and knelt down there beside him. He opened his eyes and said in a raspy voice, "You do know you don't have to do this, Riz… Orton needs your TLC… Not me…" She shook her head. "Plus, I've got to fly to Miami tomorrow for the house show… I can't stay here…" he continued. She shook her head some more and smiled._

"_Look, John… You're sick… I'm going to call Steph and tell him that you're not fit to go to the house show…" she smiled. "As for Orton, who says I can't take care of the both of you? What matters now is that you're sick and you need to get better… It's just probably the temperature change that's affecting your body… I want to take care of you, John… I can't just let you go out into the world and probably faint out there…"_

_He smiled weakly and nodded, indicating that he understood where she was coming from. She smiled back and said, "Now, go get some sleep… I'm going to go check on Orton, 'kay? You just stay here and rest…" she kissed him again on the forehead. John closed his eyes and let his weariness get over him. He fell into a deep slumber and rested, just like she had said._

_Riz left the room and headed back to 'Randy's room'. She opened the door and saw that he was up. "Hey, Legend Killer… I see you're finally up… And don't worry… I let you sleep in since you need your rest…" she said jokingly, pertaining to what he had said the last time he was there. He smiled weakly and asked, "Uhm… Riz… Is breakfast ready? I'm just… kinda hungry…"_

_She smiled at his question and walked closer to him. She propped up his pillow and helped him sit up. She gave him the remote for the 42" plasma flat screen TV and said, "Here… You can go watch some TV… What do you want for breakfast? I made some downstairs but I'm not so sure if that's what you want…" with a knowing smile._

_Randy said in the cutest voice, "Chocolate goo?"_

_She laughed a little at his actions and nodded. "That's exactly what I made… And for your information, Orton, it's not chocolate goo… Well, maybe from your point of view it is, but its chocolate rice…" she said. He shook his head lightly and said, "I want to call it chocolate goo since that was my first impression from it… Plus, it sounds cuter…" She merely laughed and nodded her head._

_Riz took care of both John and Randy from that day. She spoon-fed them both and towel-bathed them both. She cooked and cleaned for them. She did their laundry and fixed things up for them. She tucked them into bed every night and greeted them in the morning with a bright smile. John was only there for five days though, since he got better and left for the next house show. That left Riz and Randy alone, and as much as Riz wanted to deny that Randy's childish innocence was amusing, she couldn't. He turned into a child being so weak. So, maybe they fought every now and then but then again, he was still a very good little boy for her._

December 1st 2005. Randy had been out of the WWE for about a month now. Trish and John were coming over to Riz's house for a little early Christmas party since it was the only vacation they could get. After all, they were only there for three days before they flew back to the next house show. Riz was, as usual, still at Randy's beck and call. But to our amusement, Randy didn't abuse his given power over her. He just sat there and concentrated on healing up.

John and Trish had just arrived at 1:30 PM on the said date. They were welcomed into the house and were given a tour. They marveled at the house and even congratulated Riz for a job well done on it. They went up and greeted Randy who was awake and watching Hollywood Homicide on DVD. For the whole afternoon they stayed in Randy's room since he couldn't stand up yet. They watched lots of DVDs and laughed their butts off.

John had brought a video camera with him and he was filming around a lot of things. He felt like being playful with the camera. _Brings out the inner child_, he says. But Riz and Trish say that it's because it's his first time to ever be able to maneuver one of those gadgets. Yes. They were teasing him as always. Randy watched them from his place on the bed. They were on the floor and teasing each other. Maybe if he were just nicer to Riz, he could be laughing with them like that.

Just a couple of minutes before five, Riz dismissed herself because she said she was going to start preparing dinner. She left the room and headed down the stairs. Just when she got to the foot of the stairs, she heard the doorbell ring. She went to open the door and saw that her family was there. There was her mom, dad, Rico, Lin and her husband, Drake, with their one-year old son, Dave. She thanked god that she was wearing a pair of jean capris and a yellow baby-tee with white flip-flops. Plus, her hair was neatly tied at the back of her head. If there was anything her father was annoyed with, it was when she looked messy.

She let them in and informed them that Randy was staying there with her since he was on leave due to his accident. They sat in the living room as little Dave ran to his auntie. Riz took the infant in his arms and rested him on her hip. "Hey, guys… I'm just going to go up and tell Randy that you're here… Aiiite?" she said before walking up the stairs with the infant still attached to her.

Dave had grown pretty attached to Riz even though she was on the road all the time. Maybe it was because she loved to spoil him with toys and other stuff a one-year old could possibly want. Dave took after his mother having jet black hair and black eyes. He looked pretty much all too adorable wearing his blue jean shorts and a Chain Gang shirt Riz had given him on his first birthday, along with some other cool stuff.

She walked into Randy's room and all three raised a questioning eyebrow at her and particularly at the infant. Trish stood up and cooed at the little boy. "In case y'all are wondering, this is my nephew, Dave… He turned one last April 24th…" she explained to them. John walked over to the three and said hi to the little guy. "Hey, lil' fella… I see you're a soldier of mine!" John said as he poked Dave's tummy through the shirt. Dave got John's finger and played with it.

"What's he doing here, Rizza? Is your family here?" Trish asked, her eyes never leaving the little boy. "Yep! They're here… Mum, dad, Rico, Lin, Drake and of course this lil' squirt here… Now, I just came up here to tell you guys that they might have dinner here since we haven't seen each other since Survivor Series… And, John, my lil' bro doesn't know you're here…" Riz said with a raise of the eyebrow to John.

John instantly got the message and smirked at her. Riz, with Dave, Trish and John, told Randy they'll be right back. They left the room and walked down the stairs to where Riz's family was. Riz came down first with Dave and said, "Uhm… I kind of forget to tell you guys something…"

John came walking down the stairs with Trish behind him. Rico's eyes shot open as he screamed, "Oh my god! Riz! You're so mean! Why didn't you tell me he was here? I hate you, you big meanie!" Riz just shrugged her shoulders playfully. "Well, I couldn't get you the autograph so I brought him here instead… Nah, I'm just kidding… He, Trish, Randy and I were having an early Christmas party before the holidays come rolling in…" she explained. Rico went over to give his sister a noogie as they played on.

After the ruckus had calmed down and things were alright already, Riz handed lil' Dave back to Lin before going to finish making dinner for all of them. Looks like she'd need to make twice the original amount. John and Rico were having a little talk about wrestling and Rico probably getting into the business one day. Lin and Trish were sharing a nice conversation. Everyone was having fun talking. Riz, on the other hand, was alone in the kitchen. Randy was also alone upstairs watching Rush Hour.

Randy sat there as he reminisced on what happened that day he got the accident a month ago. It wasn't really the most desirable thing to happen to anyone.

_**Randy paced around the ring as he began to stalk Triple H for the RKO to get the World Heavyweight Championship. But while he was stalking the other superstar, he didn't notice that one of his boot laces, which he had always kept securely tied, had fallen loose and was now just hanging there. He accidentally stepped on it and went falling onto the canvas, hitting his left shoulder hard and dislocating it. He had turned on his side and didn't realize he was at the edge of the ring already. He fell off the edge holding his shoulder as he hit his head on the steel steps and he hit his calf bad on the floor. It was only then when he realized he was beginning to pool in his own blood.**_

He sighed and remembered seeing Riz standing backstage stunned while he was being carried out on the stretcher with an oxygen mask on his mouth and nose. He remembered seeing her shocked face and thinking of what she would do. But he had fainted before he had even completed his thoughts. He remembered seeing her face when he was transferred and instantly feeling comfortable with where he was. He remembered waking up the first day and eating her delicious cooking. He remembered everything that had happened in the past month and all he could do was wonder why. Why did she do all of those?

His head was hurting and his stomach was beginning to rumble. Where had everybody gone? He's been alone for about a good two hours now. Just as he was about to scream for someone, the door opened and in stepped Riz with a tray in her hands. She walked in and shut the door behind her with her foot. She placed the tray on the bedside table and took the plate. "I guess you must be hungry…" she said. "I'm sorry… I was cooking downstairs and apparently, Trish and John are having too much fun…"

She fed him little by little. She had made some Garlic Cream Chicken Fussili, a chocolate cake and lots of Raspberry Iced Tea for everyone to enjoy. Everyone downstairs was done eating and was resuming their conversations after thanking Riz on a wonderful meal. After everyone had eaten, Riz immediately prepared Randy's food as she neglected her own hunger. She went up and so it comes up to now.

"This tastes great…" he commented on her cooking. Of course, to any girl, that would be a nice thing to hear. "Thanks, Orton… Come one… Finish up your chocolate cake…" she said as she fed him the last spoonful of chocolate cake before giving him some iced tea. She was cleaning up the plates when her parents came into the room. "Hija, may I speak with you?" her father said.

She nodded and left the room with her dad, leaving Randy and her mom inside the room. Emma, Riz's mom, walked over to the dishes Riz was cleaning and resumed her daughter's task. Randy couldn't help but ask, "Ms. Cruz… I'm… I know you probably don't have a good impression on me because of what I do to your daughter but… I just wanted to ask… If… Or why… Why is Riz being this nice to me when I've done nothing but annoy and pester her?"

Emma stopped cleaning and sat down on Randy's bedside. "You know, Randy…" she started. "Riz is a girl who knows what she has to do… That's how Philippe and I raised her sister, brother and her to be… She knows right from wrong… One thing that's been innate in her since the day she was born is that she loves to help people so much… No matter who he or she is, she'll help whatever happens…"

"One time, I remember, when she was five-years old, she used to buy her sister gummy bears from the candy store in our old village… Lin was sick with fever back then… Of course, Riz wanted to help her big sister so she always bought her two or three gummies to cheer her up…"

"If you want to know a fact, Randy, she cares about people… That's what makes her Riz… That's what makes her who she is… As long as she knows she can help, she will… That's why she helped you…" Emma said. Randy just sat there and listened intently, judging himself on whether he should scream she isn't like that or he should just accept it for what it is. Either way he was at a loss for words. He didn't know what was wrong with him but some way, somehow, he felt guilty.

Outside, Riz and her father were having a little chit-chat. "Hija… This man inside… I don't feel safe that he's staying here with you… After all he's done to you, lirio… He doesn't deserve to be treated with such royalty from you…" Philippe said. Riz shook her head in amusement. "Lirio… I just want what's best for you… And him being here isn't para el mejor…" he continued.

"Papa…" Riz started in that accent she had when she spoke Spanish. "After all these years, you don't know me? Papa, I want to help him… Not 'cause he's the worst guy in the world and I like him but 'cause he deserves a chance… He's like us, Papa… He needs care when he's hurt and a home to stay in when he's out… I like helping people, Papa… I didn't judge him by how he acted… He's a great guy once you get to know him…"

"But we all saw what he made you do during one of your house shows, lirio!" he stated. Lirio was his favorite nickname for Riz. It was Spanish for lily. "He does not deserve to be here, inside your room, eating your cooking, and spending time with you! Lirio, your mother and I talked about this… She said it's just what you want to do, but I say there's just something wrong… I'm not comfortable with him being here with you, hija…"

"Papa, give him a chance…" she said calmly. She had dealt with her father being this insecure before. He was always an overprotective father no matter what the situation was. "I promise you, there is nothing he could do in this state to harm me… He's just like you and me, Papa… He needs someone to take care of him… His family's so far away in Missouri and they can't leave 'cause of his younger siblings… Give him one chance, Papa… Just one… Please, Papa…" she pouted irresistibly.

Philippe sighed and looked at his youngest daughter with a slight smile. Riz squealed in happiness and hugged her father who hugged her back. "Muchas gracias, Papa!" she said, still enveloped in her father's arms. "Just take care of yourself, hija… I wouldn't want anything to happen to you…" he said as he held her at arms length. "My, my, lirio… I've been so worried about your patient that I didn't manage to notice how beautiful you've grown over the years…" he said.

"You're not the same little muchacha that used to run around and pull on my pant leg…" he said as he ran a hand through her hair. "You've really grown into a fine young mujer, hija… I'm very proud of you… Especially when you won your first wrestling title! My, my, I never thought you'd be like such…"

"Gracias, Papa… I couldn't have done it all without you and mama by my side…" she said. Now, she wasn't one to be all mushy but she really loved her father. She was daddy's little girl in the family. She was her father's favorite since she was the hyperactive girl. Lin was more of the reserved quiet one. And Rico, well, let's just say he isn't a girl. Let's settle with that.

Later on that night, Riz's family left her house to go back to their homes; Philippe, Emma and Rico to their house; Lin and Drake to theirs. They had decided to leave little Dave back with Riz since they couldn't tear him off her. Comes with being his favorite aunt, they supposed. Trish and John were also staying there for the night. Their flight left the next morning so that they could go to Michigan for the next RAW house show.

Trish was set to sleep in the guestroom on the ground floor and she fell asleep in an instant due to all the fun they had earlier that day. John was going to sleep in Riz's old bedroom. He had settled into his room for the night when someone opened the door. He looked around and saw Riz standing there dressed in a pair of loose black denim capris and a loose white Chain Gang t-shirt. She was just wearing a pair of slippers and her hair was down. "Hey, what brings you here?" he asked as he was taking off his cap. He was shirtless with just his jean shorts and rubber shoes on.

"I wanted to know if maybe I could talk to you… Plus, I kinda wanted to show you something… Everyone's asleep and yeah, I just wanted to talk to you for a bit since we've been away from each other for about a month now…" she said as she walked over to him. "Sure thing… What'cha gonna show me?" he asked.

She took his hand and led him out of the room. The walked down one flight of stairs and ended at the landing. She took him up another flight of stairs where there was a room. But it was dark so he couldn't see what was inside. They went up another flight of stairs without seeing what was inside the room and they ended up in front of a door. She opened the door and John immediately felt the cool wind lash his body full-force. They stepped out into what seemed like a roof deck. It wasn't small, it wasn't big. It was just roughly about the size of a wrestling ring. The floor was tiled with light blue and the railing was white.

The air was cool and there was a certain ambiance to the place. They walked over to the edge and leant on the railings. You could see the well-lit buildings of Manila under a clear night's sky. There was a full moon that night and it was amazingly beautiful going with the many stars that dotted the night sky. "Wow… This is beautiful…" was all John could say upon laying his eyes at the sight.

"I go up here all the time when I want to be alone… Nobody bothers me up here… And my family knows that when I'm up here, I want to be alone with myself… So, yeah… It's calm and cool here… Perfect place to be when you're trying to relax and get your head back in shape for the days to come…" she said, a slight twinge of happiness echoing in her voice.

"Would there be a particular reason why you brought me up here? Is there anything you wanted to talk about?" he asked, feeling a little awkward at her sudden actions.

"I just…" she sighed. "I just wanted to get away from everything, John… There's just so much going on in life right now that I don't know where to start or when to stop…" she said with light tears pooling in her eyes.

"What's wrong? There's still that little something about you opening up to me, y'know…" he said a little as-a-matter-of-factly.

"I don't feel okay opening up just like this, John… No offense to you, but I guess I'm just not ready to share everything… It's not that I don't trust you…" she said as the tears began falling from her eyes one by one. "You're my best friend in the WWE and for the past two or so years… I appreciate that… But, there are things I really need to keep to myself…"

"I guess it just takes time… It takes lots of time… And me relating all these unknown stories to the world, it just scratches the scars all over again and lets them bleed like before…" she began to say. Philosophical little woman, ain't she? "It just… It… I don't know, John… I don't want Orton to see me like this… It just makes it all easier for him to target me…"

He took her figure into his arms and hugged her tightly. He kissed the crown of her head and then held her at arms length. "Look at me, Riz…" she looked into his eyes. "Riz, you are not weak… It doesn't matter if Randy sees you like this… He won't do anything… And, wizzie, you don't have to open up… I'm not forcing you to… I never will… Those scars can remain sealed, just like the way they were… And I understand that there are things you need to keep to yourself… It's just that…"

"…I care about you, Rizzie… You're my lil' sis! I just want what's best for ya…" he said.

She nodded as she buried her face on his chest. He wrapped both arms around her and hugged her tightly, not wanting to let her go and let the pains in the world get to her. He wanted to protect her and keep her in his arms. He wanted everything else to disappear and leave her alone for once. But their little trance was suddenly broken when Riz heard a cry. "Dave's up… I left him beside Orton so I'd best get him now…" she said as they both ran down the stairs.

Riz dropped John off in his room for the night as they bid their good nights. She walked into Randy's room and found Dave sitting up and now quiet, obviously he was looking for her. Randy was also sitting up and trying to calm the little boy down. He was cooing at the little boy and making him smile. Riz smiled at the sight of this as she walked over to the two. Dave immediately jumped into her arms as he said, "Rith…" He couldn't fully pronounce 'Riz' yet.

She cradled the little boy in her arms and rocked him back to sleep as she looked at Randy and flashed him a grateful smile. He smiled back and then lay down again. "Hey, Riz… Why don't you and Dave sleep here tonight? It gets kinda lonely being alone here…" he asked, hiding the begging sound in his voice.

She thought about it for a while and debated with herself while she was rocking Dave back to sleep. _If we stay with John, the bed's not big enough for the three of us… If we stay with Trish, the bed's also not big enough… Lin's room isn't up and about… Plus, it might trigger Dave's dust allergies… Rico's room? It's inside Lin's room and trust me, I am not going inside that boy's dump… Well, this looks like the only place I have left… Well, this is a first… Usually I'd sleep in my old room but oh well…_ she thought before nodding at him. The smile that grazed his face was incomparable.

After Dave had gotten to sleep, she laid him down on the bed beside Randy and covered him with his little blue blanket. She walked over to the other side of the bed and covered Randy up with his own blanket. He gave him a kiss on the head like always and walked back to the other side of the bed where she climbed onto it. She half-hugged Dave to make sure he was safe and looked up. She saw Randy staring at her and she said, "Well, you'd best get your rest, Orton… You've still got a lot of healing to do…" before closing her eyes to go to sleep.

"_Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" he said out of the blue. That kind of caught Riz off-guard. She opened her eyes and quirked her eyebrow and said, "Nope… Not really… Are you okay, Orton? Have you been taking drugs behind my back? Did aliens abduct you and turn you into this other person? Who are you and what did you do to the perverted asshole I met two years ago?"_

"_He hasn't gone anywhere, babe… He's right here…" he said._

"_Okay, Orton, number one, don't call me babe… Number two, yep, you are still that perverted asshole… Number three, go to sleep…" she said as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep._

_Randy leant closer to her ear without putting any effort on his leg or shoulder and whispered, "You're beautiful, Riz… You are…"_

…_And that was the last thing she heard. _

**_Was she dreaming?_**

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**Hey, people! Yeah, it's me again. Back with an update for all of you. I don't think it's the longest, neither is it the most entertaining, but it's somewhat... kinda different, right? Well, I'll leave you all with this. Thanks to those who reviewed!**

**REVIEW please.**

**-_veracruzortongal_**


	10. Surprise Surprise

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

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**Chapter Nine: Surprise! Surprise!**

"_**I am so sorry, Ms. Cruz, but I cannot clear Mr. Orton to fly back to Missouri… He has simply not healed well enough to be exposed to extreme pressures like that of a plane… I'm really sorry, Ms. Cruz, but Mr. Orton cannot fly home for the holidays…" the doctor said.**_

_Randy sat on the bed in his room in Riz's house. That line had been running around in his head since this morning when he got checked up at the Medical City. Just great. He couldn't go home for the holidays. He couldn't spend Christmas with his family or even in his hometown. He was in a bad mood. No. He was in a shitty mood. Pissed off would be too much of an understatement for this situation._

December 24th, 2005. Riz was running around the house preparing for Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, they celebrated Christmas on the eve of the twenty-fourth. They opened presents when the clock struck twelve and not during Christmas morning like in the US. Randy was sitting on one of the couches inside the living room. Yes, he was able to walk around now. He did so with a slight limp though. His leg wasn't fully-healed. He still wore a sling for his elbow and he walked around with a cane.

Just three days ago, he had received the news that he wouldn't be able to fly home for the holidays, and during those three days, he'd been very quiet. He had this pent up anger for the world right now. He had this pent up anger for Riz for some odd reason, too. He was just really angry at everyone around him. Imagine. He was stuck here in the Philippines while his family is back in Missouri probably having lots of fun without him. Just freaking great.

"Orton, come on, let's get you changed upstairs before everyone else gets here…" Riz said as she sat beside Randy on the chair. He glared at her and snapped. "Just because I have to spend Christmas here in your house doesn't mean that I have to abide by your fucking dress code, bitch!" he screamed.

"Look, Orton, please don't be difficult… It's not my fault that you're here… But please, at least try to enjoy the holidays…" she reasoned with him. "It's not your fault that I'm here?! Excuse me, if you had probably just left me in the hospital, I would have healed better! I wouldn't be stuck here in this dump spending Christmas with you! If ever I would've been stuck here in a hospital, at least I would be surrounded by beautiful nurses! Unlike you!" he screamed as he stood up.

"Well, thank you very much for the nice compliment, Orton! I appreciate it!" her voice once again dripped with concentrated sarcasm. "If you want to sit there looking like you've just been dragged from the trash, then be that way! You could at least change something about yourself, even if it's just for the holidays, Orton… Just 'cause you have a bad vacation, doesn't mean the rest of the world has to, too!" "Why couldn't you have just left me in the hospital where things could've been better?!" his cocky remark came.

She stood up, too, and went toe-to-toe against him. "Orton, to think that I thought you'd be grateful for me taking you out of that hospital and probably stuck in the middle of four walls for so long! Fine, if you want to spend your Christmas being Mr. Scrooge and all, and then be my guest! All I ever did was try to make your holidays a little lighter since I know how much of a shitty mood you're in! But if this is how you want to take it, then suit yourself, Orton! Go ahead! Make life shittier for you!" she screamed as she stomped away.

He looked at her retreating figure and immediately regretted what he had said. She had taken him in after everything he had done to her. She tried to make his holidays a little lighter because she knew how much he wanted to be at home with his family. She honestly tried. But this was what he gave her. His conscience was running wild as he decided to walk up the stairs and into his room. It took him quite sometime to do so, too.

Once he got to his room, he saw his clothes ready and lay on the bed. He scanned his clothes for the night and saw a pair of black dress pants, a plain dark red round-neck t-shirt, a black blazer and his shiny black dress shoes. It looked so casual yet so formal at the same time. Wanting to show Riz that her efforts wouldn't go unnoticed, he slipped the clothes on slowly, careful to not twist anything. It was hard. It took him a good half-hour to put everything on but he was able to do it.

He stood there in the middle of his room as he scanned himself. Everything seemed to be in order. He put his shirt and pants on the right way luckily. He heard the door open and in ran little Dave. He hugged Randy's good leg and said, "'Andy!" since he couldn't pronounce 'Randy' correctly just yet. "Hey, little man!" Randy said as he messed up Dave's hair a little.

"Dave, come back here 'cause grandma and grandpa are looking for you!" Riz screamed down the hall. She stepped into the room and said, "Da-" but she stopped when she saw Randy all dressed up and ready to go. "I just thought I'd dress up to make your holidays a little happier, too…" he said with a slight smile to her. Dave let go of his pant leg and ran over to Riz. It was only then that Randy noticed what she was wearing. A flowing black skirt that reached until her knees, a loose red off-shoulder half-sleeved top, a pair of black strappy high heels and her hair was up into a bun being held by a chopstick with her bangs slightly curled to fall down in front of her face.

"Well, you look good, Orton… You look good…" she said with a genuine smile as she walked out of the room with Dave attached to her hip. Randy smiled to himself as he began limping to the door to go down and join everyone else for the festivities. He went down the stairs and walked into the living room where everyone was having fun. The surround sound stereo was blasting Christmas songs, the tree lights were on and blinking different colors, there were gifts wrapped in multi-colored wrapping paper underneath the tree, there was the aroma of food coming from the kitchen, people were laughing and having fun. It was just like the holidays back home minus the snow.

"Randy! How good to see you again!" Emma said as she stood up from her seat to hug him. "How have you been, Randy? I'm happy you're spending Christmas with us… But it isn't the same now, isn't it?" she said. Randy shook his head. "No, it isn't, Mrs. Cruz… But you know, I'm happy to be spending the holidays here instead of in the hospital… All thanks goes to your youngest daughter…" he said.

Riz stepped into the picture with Dave still attached to her. "Your welcome, Orton…" she said as she walked over to her mother and whispered something in her ear. Then, Riz walked away and outside the door. Emma asked Randy to sit down on one of the couches. Lin and Drake were off to one side as Randy sat opposite them. Sure, this felt like the holidays but he still couldn't get the feeling of being homesick out of his system. He wanted to see his little sister, Becky and see how much she's grown; his little brother, Nathan and give him a noogie; his dad and talk about wrestling with him; his mom and listen to her nag.

"Hey, guys…" Riz peeked in through the door. "I know it's only eleven-thirty and we aren't going to be opening presents until midnight but I wanted to give Orton his gift early… Thought it might cheer him up from his gloomy state…" she said as she stepped in and threw the door open. "Merry Christmas, Orton…" she said as Bob, Elaine, Becky and Nathan Orton stepped into the house. Randy jumped up from his seat and limped over to his family. He hugged his little sister first.

"What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be back in St. Louis with grandma and grandpa? How did you guys get here?" Randy asked in such excitement in seeing in his family. "Whoa, there, bro… You should thank a certain someone who took the initiative to call us and book us a flight here so we could spend the holidays with your injured self…" Becky said. "Who?" Randy asked, still clueless about the whole thing.

"Look behind you, son…" Elaine said. Randy looked behind him and saw Riz standing there tickling a laughing Dave. She looked up to meet his gaze and smiled. "I thought you'd have a happier Christmas with your family here so I decided to fly them in from Missouri… They agreed and so we arranged everything… I've noticed that you were so gloomy since doc said you couldn't go home so I thought why not cheer you up, right? Instead of you flying home, why don't I fly home to you?" she said.

Randy immediately tore away from Becky and hugged Riz. "Thank you, Riz…" he said. That very moment, everything seemed to have gone in slow motion. Randy felt the same familiar touch of her skin against his hands. It was like he had felt it before somewhere, some how. Riz just stood there not being able to hug back. She had felt like he was realizing something. But she couldn't remember what that was. They just stood there in the hug.

Until, of course, the moment was kind of spoiled when a loud crying burst through the room. Randy pulled away from Riz and saw that Dave was squished in between them. He was crying now as he buried his face in Riz's bare neck. She calmed him down some as Philippe and Emma welcomed the Orton family. Randy walked a couple of steps to where Riz was calming the infant down. He crouched down slightly to go face-to-face with Dave as he poked him a little and did baby voices and sounds along with Riz. Much to their satisfaction, Dave stopped crying.

Everyone started eating from there on. They ate the magnificent _noche buena_ or Christmas dinner that Riz had prepared earlier that day. She spent five hours in the kitchen just preparing the festivities for that night. There was spaghetti or spirals with either red or white sauce, deep-fried chicken, chocolate cake, fruit salad, Caesar salad with croutons and lots of drinks: iced tea and carbonated drinks. Everyone was having fun. Lin fed her son as Riz proceeded on to feeding Randy. "Have you eaten yet?" he asked her.

"Nope…" she said. "But I can always eat later, Orton… You come first…" he nodded and proceeded on to eating the extremely delicious food that this girl in front of him had prepared. The only thought running through Randy's head at that precise moment was the one of which this girl in front of him. _Why does she always take care of me first before herself? Why do I have to eat before here? Can't she see that she's growing stick-thin? What if I ask her to eat?_ He debated with himself.

"Hey, Riz, why don't you go eat for a while? I mean, I'm sure I'm gonna be okay eating by myself…" he said. "Well, Orton, let's just say that you cannot move your shoulder and arm that much so you're being restricted… Plus, I'm not really all that hungry… So, since you need more nutrition here, you need the food… Now, open wide!" she said. He merely obeyed.

After all was said and done, they walked back into the living and sat down on the couches to open presents. Bob had taken the presents from their car and laid them under the tree as well. Everyone gave out gifts and ripped the papers of their own. There were watches there, necklaces here, socks there, caps here. Typical Christmas.

"Here, Riz, this one's for you… From all of us…" Nathan said as he handed her a box wrapped in red and gold paper. "Aaw, shucks, guys, you didn't have to get me anything…" she said and received it with a smile. "Ah, but we did… Take it as a form of gratitude from the Orton clan for taking care of our eldest boy over here…" Bob said as he patted Randy on the back. "Go! Open it!" Becky said excitedly.

She ripped up the paper and took out a white box. She opened the box and found a navy blue long-sleeved sweater that said 'Riz' on the front in bold white letters. She laughed a little and put it on. She stood up and turned around playfully as she asked, "So, how do I look?" with a simple pose. Everyone burst out in laughter. "Riz, we decided to give you that sweater because it means that you're like family now… Everyone in the Orton family has that and now you have one, too… Welcome to the family, dear!" Elaine said as she stood up to hug Riz.

"My gosh, y'all make it sound like Orton and I are getting married!" Riz said after they pulled away from each other. "Well, when are ya?" Bob asked. "When are we what?" she asked, catching on pretty slow to what Bob was trying to say.

"When are you and Randy gonna tie the knot?" Bob asked again.

"Uhm… Dad, I don't think you should be asking that question…" Randy said to his father after partially choking on his own saliva. "Orton and I aren't getting married, uncle… We aren't even romantically connected… Hell, we even hate each other's guts to hell!" Riz explained to them.

"Aaw… Too bad! Riz, you would've made the perfect sister-in-law! I mean, judging by the way you two calmed down the lil' cutie earlier, I could've sworn you two were his mom and dad!" Becky squealed in sadness. "But, wait… If you two hate each other then how can you two live under one roof and not kill each other?" she asked with a confused expression. "That amazes me, too, sister dear…" Randy said.

Everyone burst out in laughter. Soon, Riz jumped to where the tree was and grabbed the last present that was there. It was a box, similar to the one the Ortons gave her, but it was wrapped in blue and gold paper. She handed it to Randy and said, "Well, it's our turn… Here's to ya, Orton… From this family… I can't say the whole Cruz clan 'cause not all of us know ya…" Randy smiled and took the present from her. He opened it with one hand and opened the box with her help.

He pulled out a white t-shirt that had 'Greatness' written on it with black cursive letterings. He held it up to his front and asked, "I would've worn it like Riz did but I can't with this sling on my arm so I'm just left to ask… How do I look?" Everyone laughed again at his actions as they all nodded. "We gave you that 'cause we thought it'd support your persona… And plus it would be like something you can flaunt to the roster… Say, 'This is original!'" Rico said.

Everyone laughed again. It was one happy Christmas for all of them.

At 3 AM, everyone decided to go home and retreat to their own beds. The Ortons went back to the hotel Riz had gotten them for their stay and the Cruz family went back to their houses. The only two people left in Riz's house were Riz and Randy. Randy was helping her clean up some while she washed the dishes. They were setting their goal to getting the house clean before 4 AM. And they did accomplish their goal. They finished cleaning at 3:57.

Riz helped Randy up the stairs as she told him to go his room and she'll be there in a while. She just had to check all the doors and window in the house if they were locked. Randy followed her instructions and limped to his room. He opened the door and saw that there was something waiting for him on his bed. He walked closer and saw that it was a paper bag made out of newspaper. He looked at the card and read: **To: Orton From: Riz**. _Just great… A gift wrapped in freakin' newspaper? How pathetic…_ he thought to himself.

He opened it and saw a folded piece of paper inside. He opened the piece of white paper and inside, written in Riz's handwriting, was a poem. And it went a little something like this:

**For so long, I've yearned to try**

**But I can never seem to answer why**

**That when your eyes meet mine, I glare**

**It made it seem like I don't care**

**Maybe you are a little rough**

**Maybe trying to polish you is too tough**

**Outside, you were this man that made me quiver**

**You were dull and ugly, just like ol' newspaper**

**I thought I knew everything and could judge you**

**But I was wrong, what I saw wasn't true**

**For days, into months, even into years**

**All I ever saw were the tears**

**I looked inside when I got the chance**

**And what I saw put me in a trance**

**It was beautiful; to say the least, divine**

**All this time, the mistake was mine**

**I need you to know that I made a mistake**

**I shouldn't have done what caused you to break**

**On the exterior, sure you were tough and showed class**

**But inside, I felt you were as fragile as glass**

**You were cocky, arrogant, and I couldn't understand**

**But when I did, I could only take your hand**

**And say, "I've judged you and I'm sorry…"**

"**I just never knew how beautiful you could be…"**

**Hey, Orton! Yeah, this may seem weird… I know! You, getting a Christmas present from me? Yeah, well that's a first… But yeah, I'm here to say sorry… Sorry, that I may have judged you a little too quick from the day we first met… Looking after you for the past two months has been wonderful… And you've been such a good little boy! Yeah, I know, weird… But I really enjoyed looking after you… So, yeah, I'm sorry I judged you… It's like, you're sometimes like newspaper… You take your first impression on it and it serves a lifetime without getting to know the person… But yeah, inside, you were nice… And I regret only getting to know that now… Take care of your gift, Orton… It was my first one… Well, it served a lot of firsts but anyways… Take care, Orton… God bless and Happy holidays!**

**heart, Riz**

**P.S- News: doc said that in about one or two months, you can go back to the WWE… Just sharing...**

**P.P.S- I still don't like you.**

He judged the newspaper earlier. He said it was pathetic. Could he be pathetic, too? Discarding the thought, he shoved his hand deep into the paper bag and pulled out the gift. He held it in front of his face and saw it to be a snow globe. It was tinted pink and the city inside the globe was New York City. There was a yellow post-it on it. It read:

**Remember NYC? The place we first fought? Yeah… Also the place I first saw snow and the place I debuted… This was my first snow globe, Orton… I got it when I was 5… I've taken care of it all these years, and I hope you do, too…**

Since she was five? That was two decades ago! And yet the snow globe still looked pretty much to be in mint condition. There were no scratches, no discolorations, no fingerprints whatsoever. It looked brand new. It amazed him how she took care of things with such precaution. He admired the view of NYC in the globe and put it back inside the paper bag along with the poem. He set it aside to the bedside table and waited for Riz to come and help him change. He did not want to go through that again like earlier. Man, that was hell.

Riz soon entered the room with Randy's night clothes. She helped him change into the pair of boxers and the white t-shirt. For any other girl, seeing Randy Orton this 'bare' would be enough to make them faint. But to Riz, it seemed like nothing since she'd done it often with John. That man was always drunk after partying so she had to take care of him. After changing, Riz helped Randy lie down on the bed. She pulled the covers onto him and kissed him on the head. "Good night, Randy…" she said even though it was morning outside. She began to walk away.

"Riz…" he called out. She looked back. "Thank you…" he said in probably one of the sweetest voices ever to come from his mouth. "Thank you for the gift… I promise I'll take care of it…" he said further. She smiled back at him and said, "Your welcome, Orton… Now, go to sleep so that you'll get your rest and you'll heal faster…" before walking out the door. He watched her walk out before his eyelids closed and he fell into a deep slumber.

Riz walked over to her old room, where she always slept. She changed into her pajamas, a pair of black pajama bottoms and a white razorback, before grabbing a notebook and pen from her desk and sitting on her bed. She looked around her room and smiled to herself, feeling content with how the holidays went. She had started writing in the notebook when her N90 rang from her bedside table. She grabbed it and answered, "Hey, John! Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas to you, too, Rizzie wizzie… How was the celebration?" he asked.

"It was alright… Flew Orton's family in so that he wouldn't be so homesick…" she said.

"That was really nice of ya, Riz… So, tell me, what happened during Christmas?" he asked.

And they talked for hours on the phone. It seemed like they weren't even tired. But they put down the phone when it was around 7 AM already so that Riz could get the proper rest. She closed the notebook she had been writing on and put it on her bedside table. She pulled the blankets onto her and fell into a deep slumber.

_She felt prodding on her shoulder and she opened her eyes to see who was bugging her and ruining her beauty sleep. She opened her eyes to see Randy there with a puppy-dog pout on his face. "Hey, Riz… Uhm… I was kind of wondering if maybe, I could stay here with you? I mean, I'm sure this sounds really pathetic but… It just felt so lonely in the other room and I couldn't go to sleep once I woke up…" he said._

_She simply nodded and understood his dilemma. He moved over to one side and let him climb into bed with her without hurting his leg. Being the little kid he had morphed into when he was injured, he placed his head on her chest and got comfortable. He started falling back into his sleep as she also started to fall asleep while stroking his hair to help him relax._

"_Riz?" his voice echoed throughout her ears. "Hmm?" her mere reply. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything for Christmas… I mean, after everything you've done for me, the least I could've done would be to give you something in exchange… I'm really sorry…" his voice trailed off. "You don't need to give me anything, Orton… Just go to sleep, that's enough…" her voice came._

_The feeling for both of them was pure comfort. It was so familiar. The feeling felt so relaxing and so natural that they couldn't decipher what it was. It was like having someone so close yet so far away. Physically, that someone was there and present but emotionally, he was so far away; so undetected by the world outside. It was a mystery and yet it seemed to be standing right there in front of their eyes. What was this happening to them?_

**_Why did these dreams haunt them so?_**

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_**-veracruzortongal**_


	11. Beginning

**Hey guys! Sorry I've been gone for so long. Been a rough couple of months if I say so myself. I hope you guys are still interested in reading the story. I'm not sure when I can post next, but I'm sure to post in the next year or so. Haha.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me.

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**

**Chapter Ten: Beginning?**

A month had gone by since Christmas and to say the least, Riz ad Randy weren't really friends still. They did get along sometimes but there were still these petty arguments. She found Randy an extremely confusing person. One day, he would be all sweet and he would always say please. The next he would be saying harmful things at her. It just didn't make sense!

February 1, 2006 had rolled by. In two weeks time, the two would be flying to Los Angeles for their redebut on RAW. Riz would be coming back one week earlier that Randy, though, since he had sustained the worse injury. Over the month, he had been training under Riz's strict supervision. She had been pushing him to be the best he can be inside her own personal gym in her basement. She made him do a couple of reps, a couple of crunches, a couple of push-ups every now and then to exercise his muscles. They went jogging every morning so that Randy could get his leg back in action.

This particular day, Randy was feeling like being a friend to Riz. He walked up to her in her pale yellow room as she sat there on the bed obviously writing something in her little notebook. He sat beside her as she closed the notebook and set it aside. "What's up, Orton?" she asked, her eyebrows twitching a little. "I just wanted to ask… You know… My curiosity has been giving me a hard time… I just… Wanted to know what's inside that closet of yours…" he asked, motioning to the door that had a sticker that said 'Keep Out or Die'.

She let out a heavy sigh and asked, "Why, Orton? It's not like you're going to see anything interesting in there…"

"I just… There… There are only two weeks left before we fly back to the WWE… In these final times, I just want to take back something with me… Like a memory of finding out something about you that I hadn't known before…" he said. This was so unlike the Legend Killer.

She debated in her mind and said, "You know, Orton, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm going to show you something no one has ever seen… Not even John… I've got a gut feeling that you deserve to know this… And, as much as I don't want to admit it, I've also got a gut feeling that you're the right person to confide in about this stuff… So, follow me…" She stood up and walked to the door as Randy followed suit.

She unlocked the door with a key from her pocket and swung it open. At first, Randy couldn't see anything. It was pitch black. He saw something twinkle but he couldn't decipher what it was even if he squinted his eyes. She flicked on the lights as arrays of bright white lights filled up the, what he thought was a, small room. The room was about as big as a wrestling ring! Maybe even bigger! Randy looked around and marveled at what he saw. His eyes widened as he scanned every inch of the room.

Gold and silver trophies, medals and plaques were covering every inch of the wall. There was this huge cabinet that displayed numerous awards and trophies. There must have been about a hundred! He looked to the right and saw a closet which was lined up with lots of short dresses. There were some with feathers, lace, sequins and ruffles. You name it, it was there. He looked to the left and saw another closet which was lined up with more short dresses. But those were more of the pink and white hue. He walked further inside, leaving Riz leaning on the doorframe.

He looked towards the hidden part of the room and there he saw what shocked him. There was a mannequin standing there with a beautiful baby pink short dress that was sequined with white sequins and beads forming wisps in the bodice. The skirt started somewhere about the hips and went down five inches. The sleeves were mere cap-sleeves that were just white ruffles and there were little glitters here and there. Around the mannequin's neck was a gold medal.

Beside the mannequin was a portrait. No, it wasn't any ordinary portrait. It was of a girl standing on a sheet of white wearing the same dress as the mannequin. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and was curled to make it look sophisticated. There was a white rose tucked in that ponytail. Her make-up was absolutely flawless. She held her head up high with a big smile on her face and there was the same medal wrapped around her neck. In her arms was a bouquet of pink roses.

Shockingly, the girl was Riz.

_Riz was a figure skater._

It took about three minutes before it all sank into Randy's head. This picture denied every aspect of Riz's current front. Riz didn't figure skate! She didn't even wear short skirts! She simply wasn't 'girl' enough to be what they call 'twirl girl'. This was the girl who loved camouflage and who wore cargos almost every single day of her life? Impossible! Riz wouldn't be such a person… Would she?

"Kinda a lot to take in now, isn't it, Orton?" Riz's voice broke his subtly shocked reverie as he spun around to see her standing there. "This is you?" was the only thing that came out of his mouth. She merely nodded. She walked over to the mannequin and ran her hand through the gentle pink fabric of the outfit. She traced her hand over the gold medal and rubbed it with the pad of her thumb. "This was the same dress I wore six years ago when I won the Philippine Olympics… I remember having so much fun gliding on the ice in the Araneta Coliseum… Dancing to 'You first believed' by Hoku…" she reminisced.

"Should this show you enough that I'm a girl, too, Orton? That whatever you do, might I not be a girly-girl, I'm still a woman? That the persona is always different from the person?" she asked him in the calmest voice you could ever imagine coming from her mouth. He looked at her in shock and said, "This can't be you… There's simply no way… I mean, you're Riz! This is… some other girl!"

She motioned for him to follow her with her finger. They walked over to the closet that was filled with pink and white short dresses. On the way back to the closet, Randy noticed something from the corner of his eyes. He saw a mannequin with a white tube gown. It looked so simple and yet so beautiful at the same time. "What's that for?" he asked and pointed. "Nothing." Came her reply.

Riz parted the middle of the closet and pushed them all to the sides. The hangers and clothes compressed in either side of the closer and there, Randy saw the biggest collection of CDs he's ever seen. "These are videos of my performances… From practices to the actual thing…" Riz said as she ran her hand through the thousands of black CD cases lined up on five shelves that ran about seven meters. Randy was in a perpetual state of shock.

"Back when I was still known as Ann, I was a figure skater, Orton… There's enough proof here to last you a lifetime… Look around you… All the outfits and costumes I wore to my competitions and performances, the very skates I wore when I won my first gold medal back when I was six, the videos of all that I've been through… Orton, this is the only place you'll ever see this… This secret I've kept… And I've shown it to you just to prove to you that I'm no weird girl…" she explained.

"But why hide it from everyone else, Riz? There must be a fortune in this place! All these trophies, these medals and awards… These are worth something! Why waste your time wrestling when you can pursue figure skating instead! I've always wondered why you were so well-balanced and light on your feet!" he said in shock. He didn't mean to sound so encouraging but he was in a deep sense of wonder about all of this. "That question is for another time, Orton… Maybe never…" she said.

She fixed the hangers back into place and motioned for Randy to go out. He followed suit and walked out the door. She shut the door and locked it before flipping the key in her hand. Randy noticed a white keychain hanging from the key. "May I see your keychain?" he asked in the most gentlemanly manner he could. She handed it to him. He scanned it and saw that it was a 3D version of a snow angel. "It's a snow angel, Orton… I keep it there so it protects the key to my secrets and to my past…" she explained.

He merely nodded before giving back the keychain with the keys. There was more to this girl than he could ever know in his entire lifetime. She had just shown him this complete secret of hers and there was nothing else he could do but to stay there in his endless state of reverie. In the same way he had been feeling for the past two months, he felt guilty, yet again.

The morning of their flight to Los Angeles, he woke up bright and early, something pretty unusual for someone like him. He usually stays in bed until late morning. But today, he got up extra early, took his shower and clothed himself. He walked over to the room Riz was sleeping in and opened the door quietly. He sat down on the side of her bed and watched her sleep. All she was wearing was a white baby-tee that had rolled up to below her chest and a pair of black Adidas jogging pants.

He watched as she breathed in and out slowly; how her chest rose with every breath; how the sunlight streaming into her room outlined the features of her face; how her hair was left dangling across her face slightly. He brushed aside a couple of strands of hair and watched as she slowly came to her senses. "Orton? What are you doing he- Oow… Shit…" she said as she arched her back. Her face squinted in pain and her hand went over to her lower back to ease the pain.

She sat up and tried to stretch her back but to no avail, the pain still seared through her spine. She suddenly felt hands on her back, soothing, muscular hands. She shrugged them off and said, "I'm fine, Orton… It's just a little morning pain… Happens every time…"

He shook his head and said, "Riz, this has been happening to you everyday… Don't you think I've noticed that every morning you attempt to stretch your back but I can see it still hurts… Let me help you…" the last line he whispered in her ear.

She could do nothing but give in. His hands slowly made their way to her back as he slowly began to massage her. She felt the pain slowly ebb away as he massaged every locked muscle in her back. He made circles there and pressed down here. It was a wonderful experience with someone who has scoliosis. Little by little, the pain disappeared. When it did, he took his hands off her and hugged her shoulders from behind.

"If ever it hurts again, don't hesitate to call me…" he said before walking away to fix his things.

Ever since that morning, things have been very quiet for the two of them. Each kept their distance from the other. Once they were back in the WWE, everyone welcomed them with a jolly celebration. There was cake and balloons and everything for Riz; whilst Randy, being not exactly the roster's favorite, got a couple of cards, flowers and handshakes from co-workers.

Sadly, even after being together for an approximate four months, backstage, nothing had changed between the two. They were back to their fighting phase both on and off screen. He was back to teasing her about her sexuality, she was back to calling him gay. All the while, John even thought they had gotten along pretty well. But they've gone not a step further.

**Back to square one.

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**

**Read and review please. Thanks to those who have been reviewing.**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	12. Invincible

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me.

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**Chapter Eleven: Invincible**

**Survivor Series 2006**** – ****November 6, 2006****(St. Louis, Missouri)**

Trish had left the WWE earlier that year to get married and settle down with her high school sweetheart. Her last match had been during Unforgiven back in September. She had finally broken the record of the most number of times the WWE Women's Championship had been held. Trish had finally made it t being the Seven-time Women's Champion of the WWE.

Tonight, it was war for Randy. It was his title match versus Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Being Triple H's protégé, Randy felt like he could be taken down so easily since the veteran was familiar with his moves. But Randy thought of his goal. His goal wasn't to really defeat Triple H on a personal basis. He wanted to with the World Heavyweight Championship just like he'd won the WWE Championship a year ago from John.

'_Hey… Hey! Nothing you can say! Nothing's gonna change what you've done to me!'_

The familiar blast of the electric guitars and the booming of drums and bass echoed through the Sporttrade Center in St. Louis. This, being Randy's hometown, was filled with so many Randy Orton fans. They were all excited for their hometown hero, a third generation superstar, the Legend Killer, Randy Orton. **"The following match is scheduled for one-fall and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship! Introducing first the challenger… Weighing in at 245 pounds… St. Louis's own… The Legend Killer, Randy Orton!"** Lilian Garcia announced.

The fans got up on their feet as Randy entered through the curtains and did his usual posing. He walked cockily down the ramp and up the steel steps to the ring. He posed around some more in the ring and basked in the admiration of his hometown fans. He saw his mom, dad, sister and brother in the front row and they were cheering him on. For him, there was no better feeling that the one of that being home. He hadn't been here for so long. His music died down as the crowd went quiet again.

'_Are you ready?'_

D-Generation X's, DX, music blared through the arena as the fans gave less enthusiasm for the entering stable. **"Next up is your World Heavyweight Champion… He is a member of D-Generation X… From Greenwich, Connecticut… He is the Cerebral Assassin, the Game… Triple H!"** Lilian said again. Triple H came out from the curtains with the championship belt around his waist. He sprayed water from his mouth like always and headed down the ring to start the match.

Once both wrestlers were in the ring and the crowd had been pacified, the bell rang thrice indicating the beginning of the match. Triple H and Randy stalked each other around the ring as they glared at each other. According to the script, they grappled in the middle of the ring with Randy quickly turning it into a headlock. Triple H countered and Irish-whipped Randy to the turnbuckle.

Randy revived and was met by a clothesline to the chest against the turnbuckle. It was soon followed up by multiple blows to the face and abdomen. Randy fought back as he and Triple H exchanged blow per blow. But Triple H soon got the upper hand and was soon able to pull an Atomic Drop on Randy; after which he Irish-whipped the protégé onto the opposite turnbuckle of earlier.

Ducking from the incoming clothesline, Randy side-stepped the veteran and capitalized on the man's energy. While Triple H was stuck in the corner, Randy forced a standing dropkick to his back causing major pain to the Cerebral Assassin. Strategizing on his opponent's weakness, Randy got down to his knuckles and stalked the next victim of his vicious RKO.

But Triple H, unfortunately, knew Randy all too well to fall into his trap. So, when the veteran spun around, he immediately ducked. Randy, instead of catching Triple H, caught air and hit his body on the turnbuckle his prey was on. Spinning around, he was suddenly met with a vicious spine-buster from his mentor. Randy struggled to get up and succeeded, only to caught by Triple H as he set-up for the Pedigree, his prided finisher.

No, Randy couldn't lose this match. This was his match; his moment. Digging deep down for the extra stamina and motivation, Randy slid away from Triple H and hit a standing dropkick to the mentor's chin. Triple H was down and struggling to get up as Randy rested his weight on his knuckles and stalked his prey like a wild animal.

Once Triple H was up and back on his feet, Randy took the veteran's fazed moment to hit him with the RKO. Luckily, the champion was unable to counter the finisher and Randy was able to pull it off without a hitch. The crowd was cheering extremely loudly upon the finisher pull of their hometown hero. Randy raised Triple H's leg for the three-count. 1… 2…3.

"**The winner of this match and your new World Heavyweight Champion… The Legend Killer, Randy Orton!"** Lilian announced as Randy's theme music blared through the arena again. Triple H was helped out of the ring by medics and EMTs. The referee handed Randy his title as he held it close to him. Finally. 2-time World Heavyweight Champion. He had made it through this vicious war between an assassin and a killer.

After he was done celebrating around the ring, he left the ring and proceeded to the backstage area where everyone congratulated him for a job well done. Some people shook his hand while others gave him a heartfelt pat on the back. Paul Levesque (Triple H) even congratulated him on the win after he had gotten back into his right senses. Randy turned his head after feeling a tap on the shoulder. There he saw Riz standing with a smile on her face. "Congratulations, Orton! You won!" she said.

Everyone near them quirked an eyebrow as Randy said, "Of course I did." and they both laughed. Last time they checked, these two wanted to claw each other's face off. Now, they were laughing together? Was it just them or did everyone else feel that they were missing out on something here? "Well, take care of that title, Orton… It's not everyday that you get to hold that…" she said before walking away and leaving for her own main event that night.

'_Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_

Riz's theme music blasted through the arena as she stepped out wearing a pair of green camouflage cargos, a white Billabong short-sleeved hoodie and a black Roxy baseball cap on her head. Plus, let us not forget her trusty white Skechers and her hair tied up into that messily-stylish ponytail at the back of her head. The fans were divided between cheering for her and booing. Mainly because she was involved in a storyline with their hometown hero and it wasn't a nice storyline at that. But still, some loved her for being the 'next Trish Stratus'.

"**The following match is schedule for one-fall and it is for the WWE Women's Championship! Introducing first the challenger… From Manila, Philippines… She is the ABC of the WWE… Riz!"** Lilian announced. She walked into the ring and slapped some of the hands of fans. There was one fan up front that held a sign that said, 'Riz, Marry Me or I Will Have Orton RKO You.' She merely smiled at it and gave the teenage boy a noogie for the record. She stepped into the ring and climbed up onto the second turnbuckle. With a pluck of the hoodie and a wink to the crowd, she admired her fans here in St. Louis.

The cheerleader sound of drums interrupted Riz's ever-so-famous entrance. The upbeat theme song blared through the arena as the fans got up and cheered for the Women's Champion. **"Introducing next… From Richmond, Virginia… She is your WWE Women's Champion… Mickie James!"** Lilian said. Mickie stepped out to the stage and showed off her belt. She was, as per usual, jumping all around the arena in her 'psychopath hyperactive' way.

She slid into the ring and posed around as Riz leant on the turnbuckle whilst awaiting her opponent. She knew she would win the championship tonight. It was in the script after all. Yes. Vince didn't want anymore impromptu matches for Riz since Trish was gone and they were the only two capable of pulling off a perfect impromptu match without any hitches. Mickie finished her parading and soon surrendered her title to the referee.

Riz took off her black cap and threw it to the awaiting crowd. It was soon followed by her white hoodie. She was wearing a solid black razorback sports bra and, of course, the dog tags. Not needing to be asked by the referee, Riz surrendered the dog tags to him after placing them to her heart. Before the bell rang, she cornered herself to the turnbuckle and closed her eyes as she looked down. She took a steady deep breath before doing the sign of the cross and looking back up. She was soon shifting her weight from foot to foot fast as the bell rang thrice.

The two competing divas circled the ring as they played strategizing on each other. They locked in the middle of the ring with a fierce grapple before the referee broke it up. Mickie took the chance and hit Riz on the face with a vicious slap. Riz countered, being the fighter, with another slap to the champion's face. They exchanged slaps until Riz was able to corner Mickie to the turnbuckle and Irish-whip her to the opposite.

Unfortunately, Mickie had reversed the move using Riz's momentum against her; thus, Riz was the one Irish-whipped to the turnbuckle. She slid down the corner and held her aching back. Mickie capitalized and landed a standing dropkick to Riz's jawbone. But, Riz was able to move out of the way therefore sending Mickie flying into the turnbuckle and injuring her right ankle. Now, Riz had the perfect way to defeat Mickie. Capitalize on the ankle.

As a result from moving too quickly, Riz's vision blurred a little but she shook it back to normal. She measured Mickie's now limp figure and, once the champion was able to stand up, swiped her feet. Mickie fell down, landing on her ankle pretty badly. She tried to use the turnbuckles to help herself up. Upon reaching the second turnbuckle, Riz lifted Mickie into a sitting position on her shoulders and performed the perfect electric chair.

Mickie was down and out. The crowd was going wild at the match. Riz's adrenaline was pumping hot and she was ready to perform her finisher before pinning Mickie. But as Mickie was obviously trying to stand up from the torture, Riz suddenly felt dizzy. She brought her hand up to her temple and massaged it slightly. Her eyes were now slowly beginning to faze as her eyelids were about to close. She felt out of breath and her legs went wobbly; that was, before they gave away and she fainted, falling flat on her back.

Mickie, needing to continue on with the match, hooked Riz's leg for the win. Riz felt Mickie pinning her but everything was spinning so fast that she was basically unable to move a muscle. The world faded out as Lilian announced, **"The winner of this match and still your WWE Women's Champion… Mi…"** Riz never even got to hear Mickie's full name before she literally passed out in the middle of the ring.

The world finally faded back in and she opened her eyes. There was this blinding white light that made her squint her eyes while they adjusted to the brightness. She opened her eyes fully and looked to her right. She saw that she was on a bed, inside a room and it was obviously morning. Her thoughts were cut when she heard a male voice say, "Hey, stranger…"

She looked to the direction of the voice and there she saw Randy Orton sitting on a chair beside her bed. He had a smile on his face as he greeted her messed up state. "Orton? What the hell? Where am I? Ain't I supposed to be at the arena getting checked up? Damn… My head hurts…" she said. She tried to sit up but failed miserably, ending up falling back down. "What's going on, Orton? Why can't I sit up?" she said, tears slowly brimming in her eyes.

He looked at her and stood up from his seat. He sat on the edge of her bed and lowered his lips to her forehead before saying, "I'll explain everything to you when you get back to your right senses… Right now, you need to sleep… You need your rest… Just close your eyes and go back to dreamland…" He smiled at her and stroked her hair. She could only do as she was told. She closed her eyes and felt weariness get the best of her. She fell asleep.

Riz woke up again. Now, it was still morning. She looked to her side and saw Randy looking at her with a smile on his face. "I see you're up again…" he said. She nodded, as if not finding the right words to answer. She tried to sit up once again but found it difficult. He immediately stood up and helped her sit up while he gingerly propped a pillow behind her back. He sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, "How are you?"

The look she sent him said it all. There was that scrutinizing look that was plastered on Riz's features. As if reading her mind and understanding everything without a single word uttered, Randy tried his best to explain everything. "Back at Survivor Series, you fainted in the middle of your match… Mickie got the win and you were knocked out… The medics carried you backstage and realized they couldn't exactly pinpoint what was happening to you… You should've seen John… He was ready to kill the medics…" he started.

"Anyway… They sent you off to the St. Louis Hospital where you were checked on… They confirmed that your blood sugar level was extremely low; you're suffering from vitamins A, C and K deficiencies; and you're calcium and iron levels are also low… You were confined for a good twenty-four hours before they brought you here to my house after you were cleared…" he said. "But why here? And why are you here?" she asked.

"I offered to take you in like you did to me… I surrendered my title the following day to Steph McMahon just like you did… Until all your vitamins and other stuff were back to normal, you couldn't be cleared to leave the country, much less, leave home… And like you, I didn't want to see someone stranded in a hospital for so long being so lonely and surrounded by absolutely no family… So, I said to myself, 'It's the least I could do for you'…" he said.

"Don't worry; no one forced me to do this… John came by before he left for Virginia… You were out for two days after you were released… Then you woke up… Then, you woke up again just now after twenty-four hours…" he explained the whole timeline to her. It took a while for Riz to take it all in. She looked away from him and didn't want to meet his eyes like as if she were hiding something.

"Riz, look at me…" he said. She turned her head slightly and made her eyes meet his. Hers were pooling with forcibly unshed tears as she bit her quivering bottom lip. "I want you to explain to me why your vitamin, mineral and blood sugar levels are this low… I want to know why your health is faltering like this so that I can help you get better…" he asked.

She shut her eyes and let a tear slide down her right cheek. "I… I…" she started off. "I couldn't eat, Orton… I didn't have the appetite to eat… I didn't have the reason to eat either… I just felt like I couldn't shove the food into my mouth… It was all holding me back… And the hunger took all the pain away… It just served as a substitute…"

"A substitute to what? The pain? What's the pain all about?" he inquired.

She looked away. "Pain from having to deal with loss, Orton… Loss…" she said.

"I'm not forcing you to open up…" he said, obviously sensing that there was something bothering her deep down inside. "But whatever the problem may be, Riz, I'm right here… And I can help you… Whatever's bothering you is causing you to starve yourself and you lose all the things you need to make yourself healthy… Nobody wants the fans' favorite diva like that… So, I'll leave you here and get your food, okay?" he stood up and began to walk away.

"I…" she said. "I need you to stay here." She said. He spun around and gave her a questioning look. "I need to let everything out, Orton… John was right, I can't keep blocking everyone out of my life and keeping it all inside 'cause it hurts too much to do so… You're here, and you offered to listen… I need someone right now, Orton… I need to let this all out 'cause it hurts too much…" she said as tears fell down her face.

_**I memorized all the words for you  
but if you only knew  
how much that's just not like me  
I wait up late every night  
Just to hear your voice  
but you don't know that's nothing like me**_

He walked back and sat on the edge of the bed. He wiped away her tears with his thumb and motioned for her to start. "Back when I was in first year high school, I went to this interschool party at a hotel… And it was fun… Everyone knew me and some even asked for my autograph 'cause I was a famous figure skater… And that was the night I met him… I met Nathan… Nathan Rodriguez… He was a wonderful guy… He cared about me… And so we started to keep in touch and talk all the time…" she said as he listened intently.

"When I was 17 and in my junior year, during the night of the prom, he was my prom date, he asked me to be his girlfriend… He explained on how we've known each other practically to the bone and he's had these feelings for me… I said yes… As the years progressed, we were fine… We were happy… He was the perfect man… He always asked me how I was… He would call me at any time just saying that he just wanted to hear my voice and tell me he loved me…" she related as tears fell down her face.

"We would always go out on weekends and sometimes we'd go to parties together… Until that one party when we were in sophomore year in college… I had invited him to one of my block parties on campus as my date and of course, he willingly went with me… Midway through the party, we decided to go out and walk around since the air was cool and the stars were out… It just began to get romantic…" she said.

"But moments never last… Some drunk guy came up to us and freaked me out… Being my girly-girl self, I hid behind Nathan and he protected me… He calmly asked the guy to leave but he wouldn't budge… The man stabbed him with a knife and all I could do was crouch down and try to save Nathan… but the man grabbed me and dragged me to his pick-up truck… He kept on saying how beautiful I looked in my miniskirt and my blouse… How I looked every inch like a slut…" she said with a slight drop of venom.

"He intended on raping me… And he did… I remember that night vividly… That's why when you asked me to do the thing on RAW, the whole strip and dance thing, I just felt like I was reliving that moment… Oh well, after that night, Nathan and I were sent to the hospital and we were there for two weeks due to injuries… I was lucky enough to avoid pregnancy… I felt so guilty… The only reason Nathan was there was because I had attracted too much attention… So, I resided to leaving my girly-girl life in the past… I kept everything and started to use cargos and combats…" she retold the most painful story.

_**You know I wonder how you already figured out  
All these things that I try to hide  
All this time I've been hoping you don't find out  
All these things that I hide on the inside**_

"Ice skating was my refuge… But the short skirts made me double take on it… I resigned from my figure skating and my girly-girl persona 'cause I simply didn't want to attract any more guys… I started to cover up and be rather tomboy-ish… Since, I was this and I still had a chance at wrestling… I pursued it…"

"I entered wrestling after graduating college and yeah, so leads us to my debut and so on… After I won my first championship back in 2004, I flew home… And Nathan and I celebrated together… And that was the same night he proposed… And… I accepted… So, yeah, I was engaged with my parents' blessing 'cause they loved him so much… I said yes to Nathan 'cause whoever I was, whether I be the girly-girl or the tomboy, he still loved me… He never looked on the outside but he always said how beautiful I really was…" she said, a slight smile crawling onto her face as she reminisced the candlelit dinner Nathan had set up.

_**I can't be held responsible  
this is all so new to me  
Just when I think I'm invincible  
you come and happen to me**_

"By 2005, the wedding was all done… It was hard preparing for it since I was always out of the country… But we made it through… The set date was the day after the RAW after Wrestlemania 21… And after that, I would go on leave for my honeymoon… But unfortunately, a month before our wedding, I received terrible news that the man I loved was just tested positive for acute leukemia…" she said, a frown devouring the once bright smile on her face.

"That day that we fought in catering… That day I broke down in front of all you people… That day I received that dreaded phone call… That Nathan… had… d-died… He had died three or four days prior to our wedding… Nothing could help… Chemotherapy or whatever else medication he was given, they all failed… I couldn't bring myself to go back home and see his body… I couldn't bring myself to face the world so I hid… And I… I… I just simply broke down…" she whimpered.

"I never got my fairytale… I never got to walk down that aisle wearing a pure white dress with me about to cry… I never got to get to the end of that aisle and see a man holding his hand out to me… I could look into his eyes and see how well he knew me… I could feel he was there and that he would always take care of me… We could have danced our first official dance… And after that, fly off in a plane to a special place… I never got that, Orton… I never did… I never got to feel so beautiful on that special day of my life…" she said as she bit her bottom lip.

"I wasn't strong enough to push through, Orton! But I refused to let you see that… 'Cause you would just pick on me for it… I wasn't strong enough to see him dead! I wasn't strong enough to go back home… I felt so weak… I loved him with all my heart and soul… Seeing him dead, that was something I wasn't ready for… I wasn't strong enough even if I did a thousand reps or a million crunches… I loved him! And I felt so weak not being able to save him…" she said.

He rubbed her back soothingly in circular motions before holding her shoulders and tilting her head to make her eyes meet his. "Listen to me, Riz… You are not weak… You are one of the strongest people I know… You don't have to be strong all the time… Sometimes you have to be weak so that you can let someone in and they can help you…" he explained.

"But I didn't want to be weak! I had to be strong! I couldn't forget everything that had happened! I had given up my true colors, my passion, and my life! At the top of everything, I lost the man I loved and I can never get him back! I couldn't go on, Orton! But you were there and you kept on pushing me! I couldn't… I… I couldn't show you I was weak… You would just find another reason to make my life worse…" she said.

"Riz, whatever happened in the past is the past… You have to let everything go… And move on… You… You have to show the world that you can stand up after you fall… But you can't do it by starving yourself to get rid of the emotional pain… As for me, that was just the persona kicking in, Riz! I didn't mean to really hurt you… Right now, you're so weak in front me… And I'm afraid for your well-being… I want to help you… And now, I feel like I am because I know what's happening… You can be weak in front of me, Riz… And I won't use that against you… Not anymore…" he said.

_**I want to make sure everything is perfect for you  
If you only knew  
That's not like me to follow through  
Maybe even give up all these dead end dreams  
Just to be with you  
But you don't know that's nothing like me**_

"But I did stand up, Orton! I did! I faced my fears and I took you in even if it meant tarnishing my front! You reminded me of him so much… I took you in and I just felt like you were him and he needed me… I needed refuge… And taking care of you gave me that sense of safety, like I was myself again…" she said.

"How did I remind you of him if all I've ever done was hurt you?" he asked.

"That Wrestlemania night… If ever you remember, there was a red rose that fell into the ring when I was having my match with Trish… And do you remember the picture frame back home of me and my best friend? Yeah, that was Nathan… And the quote… It was Spanish for: 'The day this rose turns to red is the day that I'll be able to stand on my own two feet without you… That there's someone else in the world who needs your love… I've gotten too much of it…' Yeah… And the red rose was my sign… My sign that I had to stand up and move on…" she said. It all started to make sense to Randy. It was complicated but he got it.

"…And then you came along… And you needed someone to take care of you… I took that as my cue… I took that as the reason why God took Nathan away from me… It was because of you… You needed my attention… So, I took you in… While I was taking care of you, there was this feeling of loss and emptiness… I couldn't bear the pain of remembering Nathan every time I look at you… So, I took physical pain slash hunger and felt it to replace the emotional pain…" she explained, the tears falling down her face rapidly.

_**Now I'm waking up  
I've finally had enough of this wreck of a lifetime  
I never thought I'd survive it  
Now I'm taking back  
All I gave up for that  
Leave my pain behind  
Wash these stains from my life**_

He took her faint figure into his arms and hugged her. He let her cry into his chest as he rocked her back and forth. Everything from the rape to the skating to the proposing to the death, it was all beginning to piece together for him. The reason why she never threw herself at him was because she was committed. The reason why she was so tomboy-ish was because of that rape incident. The reason why she was so angry before Wrestlemania was because of Nathan's death. The reason why she starved herself was because of pain. "I have a confession to make…" he said. She nodded, indicating he could go on.

"I was the one who paid a man to throw that rose to the ring during your match…" he said. She looked up to him and quirked an eyebrow. "I paid the man to throw it in before your finisher came… And it said 'Never' because it meant that you'd never get away with anything from me…" he explained. She gasped. Was it fate? Was it destiny that this was meant to happen?

"You can be whoever you want to be in front me… I'll understand…" he said.

"I still don't like you, Orton…" she said in a stern voice and playful eyes that made them both crack up laughing.

_**Just when I thought all was lost  
you came and made it all okay**_

For the two weeks that Riz was out of the business, Randy took care of her and pampered her. He made sure she ate properly and he got her back to her healthy state. They were still both contemplating in their minds as to why the things they did seemed to lace together so perfectly. Both never figured it out. But the good thing was, they had gotten closer and they had become friends. Riz was somewhat glowing now because she had been open to Randy. As for him, he was still confused. It was just in those two weeks that…

_**I can't be held responsible  
this is all so new to me  
Just when I think I'm invincible  
you come and happen to me**_

They both realized they weren't invincible.

"_I want to be a girl again…" Riz announced one morning as Randy was fixing up the breakfast dishes. Today was the last morning they had together since they were flying to Toronto that night. He smiled at her as he put the last plate on the rack to dry. He walked up to her and said, "Well, then, the mall isn't far away… I can always take you shopping…" She smiled back at him as she hugged him tightly and said thanks before running up the stairs and changing out of her pajamas._

_At the mall, Randy saw a whole new different side of Riz. Of course, he didn't see her with the clothes she picked on since he left her alone to shop but she was so excited to shop. Before, whenever the divas would go on shopping trips she would usually just buy a new pair of Converses or a new hoodie. Now, she was like a teenage girly-girl let loose in Hot Topic._

_Riz found it fun shopping again. She hadn't felt this liberated in such a long time. All the sales clerks who watched wrestling quirked an eyebrow at her change in fashion sense but she didn't bother with them. She was happy and for once, she half-maxed out her credit card on clothes. Yeah, binging was bad. But she had a reason!_

_She now had eight paper bags on her arms. Some were from Hot Topic, Zara, Penshoppe, Petit Monde, Bench, Cinderella and Lee. There was a smile beaming on her face as she waltzed up to Randy who was signing an autograph for a little girl who had noticed him. He shifted his attention to her and took note of all the bags. He let out a soft chuckle as she merely shrugged her shoulders with a smile._

"_Come on, I've got a gift for you…" he said. He took her to one part of the mall. He pulled her into one room which was dark. The only light was the one coming from outside in the mall through the glass doors. He grabbed something from one side and he shoved it in her hands. She put down the paper bags and took the white box from him. She untied the red ribbon and opened the box to see a pair of white skates with a pink swirly R stitched onto each skate. There were purple butterflies, too, at the side of the R._

_She looked up at him as he smiled and flicked a switch. The lights turned on one by one and there, standing before her, was a skating rink. The ice was still smoking and the seats were empty. The ice, it looked so smooth and clear that it seemed like water. She looked at him and opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She was on the verge of tears and she couldn't get a mere word out._

"_Riz…" he started. "I rented this whole place out for you… I want you to skate again and just feel good about yourself… It's just my little way of saying thank you and repaying you for the snow globe you gave me last Christmas…" he said. She dropped the box and suddenly jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck._

"_Thank you, Randy… Thank you…" she said._

_He pulled away and looked at her skeptically. "What?" she asked. "You just called me Randy and not Orton…" he said, rather shocked of this new name. He had to admit, it sounded different but it sounded better than a last name. It sounded more personal and heartfelt._

"_I guess it really is time for a change…" she said with a smile. He smiled back and hugged her, too. "I still don't like you…" she said as they both laughed._

_She had changed into more suitable skating clothes. Jeans and a baby-tee weren't really befitting for ice-skating. She had grabbed the clothes she had bought and changed into them. She also fixed her hair up a little. She stepped out wearing her new clothes and the skates Randy had given her. She saw Randy sitting on one of the seats as he fiddled with what seemed to be a video camera._

_She cleared her throat to grab his attention and she got it. He looked at her and saw her looking differently. His jaw dropped at what he saw as he scanned her from head to toe. Her dark brown hair was pulled up into a neat ponytail with her bangs left on the side of her face. She was wearing a fit baby pink v-neck sweater over a white spaghetti-strap top. After that, she was wearing a hot pink skirt that went half past her thighs. She was wearing some skin colored stockings and the skates he had given her. "You look amazing…" he said._

_She smiled and winked playfully. She took off the guards on her skates and walked to the ice. She put one foot on it and felt the ice's coolness touch her skin. She felt rejuvenated. She began to skate around, doing simple toe loops and spins every now and then. "Something's missing…" she heard Randy say. Suddenly, he clapped both hands and 'You first believed' blasted through the rink._

_**How many times did I pray you'd find me… How many wishes on a star…**_

_She smiled and partially laughed at the familiar tune. "Do you still remember your skate routine?" he asked. She nodded her head. "Skate for me." He said with a genuine smile. "I must warn you, I'm a little rusty…" she said. "It doesn't really matter…" came his reply. She shrugged her shoulders as she began to skate._

_There was a toe loop here followed soon by a triple salchow. Soon after, it became camel spins and arabesques along with triple and double lutzes. She mixed them all together, threw in a couple of triple axels, waltz poses and backward skating, and soon, she felt like she was on top of the world again. The seats soon filled up with the imaginary audience of the Philippine Olympics as they roared with excitement. She scanned them as she skated and she noticed one person standing out. He was capturing her figure on a video camera. _

_At first, it was Nate she saw. It was when he was videoing her. But then, his figure faded into Randy. She smiled at the sight of him looking at the LCD screen of the camera. He looked so amused. The song had finished and had looped back to the start. He put down the camera which was still recording and clapped his hands for her. She bowed with a smile as she laughed. "There's something missing…" she screamed over the music. "What?" he asked._

"_You!" came her reply._

"_Me?" he asked._

"_Skate with me!" she said. He merely shrugged his shoulders and went down the stairs. The attendant gave him a pair of skates as he put them on. He skated out onto the ice and met her in the middle. _

"_I don't know how to skate like you…" he said to her with an innocent voice. _

_She shook her head with a smile, "You don't have to…"_

_So, they started skating around. At first, they were rather unsure of what they were doing. But soon, they uncertainty melted away. They were laughing and smiling together. They skated around the rink and did couple moves every now and then, despite Randy saying that he didn't know how to skate like her. They once tried to do a Latin dance on the ice and they both ended up on their butts. Nonetheless, they were still laughing._

_Little did they know that John had come in after they had started skating. He had been there to surprise Riz. Randy had told him where they were so he went there. It looked like he wasn't quite needed to make Riz's day. He took the video camera that was deposited on a chair and began filming the two. He zoomed in on Riz every now and then. They looked so happy together._

_**So many times when my heart was broken  
Visions of you would keep me strong  
You were with me all along; guiding my every step  
You are all that I am and I'll never forget  
It was you who first believed in all that I was made to be  
It was you looking in my eyes  
You held my hand and showed me life **_

…And I've never been the same… since you first believed…

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**Yay! So yeah. I updated. Late Christmas gift for all of you from moi. It's long, too! Haha. I've noticed something lately in fanfiction, no one's updating. Yeah. So I thought I would! Haha. Well, here it is, hope you guys like it.**

**Thanks to all the people who reviewed the last one.**

**By the way, the more the reviews, the faster the updates. So, if there are only a few reviews, sad to say, longer waiting time. Yeah. Haha. Read and Review!**

**-**_**veracruzortongal**_


	13. Fairytale

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me.

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Chapter Twelve: Fairytale

_**Here I am, a woman of twenty-seven, walking about on this winter landscape in Boston, Massachusetts… Here I am with my three-year old son, Daniel, as we walk through this road to his father's grave…**_

**A girl with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes walked down a snowy pathway with her three year-old light brown haired, blue-eyed son. Surrounding them were dozens of graves as they walked towards the right one four tombstones from the corner. They reached the tombstone and there engraved was: Jeremy Daniel Smith. Beloved son and fiancé.**

_**Yeah, Jeremy… Oh, I must've forgotten to introduce myself… I'm Sarah… Sarah McKinley… And this man's grave in front of me and my son, he's my fiancé… Well, used to be… Until one day I just lost him with no hope of him ever returning…**_

**The little boy placed a small daisy on the tombstone and said, "I love you, dada…"**

_**Oh, Daniel… If only his father had seen him grow up like I have… If only I didn't lose Jeremy… It all began that one day… That one day that I just had to be so stupid…**_

**The picture changed to a fight scene with Sarah and Jeremy inside an old ratty building that was about ready to give any time. Along with them were their coworkers, Matthew, Anne and Claire. The fight went on as fiery rage came from every single one of them. No guns. No knives. Just pure martial arts with boxing and other fight techniques. Sarah was using two short poles to try and defeat the man she was fighting.**

**And they succeeded. Soon, they were about done and were dragging the captured men. "Here you go, officer… Make sure these mafia kings don't ever get out of jail… Or else it would be hell for us all…" Jeremy said as he handed one man to the police. Sarah handed another man and said, "Yep… Wouldn't want these guys out of jail…"**

**After everything was clear and done, and the team of five was getting their stitches and ointments for their bruises, Anne said, "So… It'll be just two more weeks 'til you finally tie the knot eh?" in that annoying teasing voice. Everyone laughed at her and they all turned their faces to the engaged couple. "Yeah, it's two weeks 'til I finally get to say that this girl beside me is my wife…" Jeremy said as he wrapped an arm around Sarah's slim waist.**

**Sarah responded and kissed him on the cheek. "All of you are coming, right?" she asked the whole team. "Hell yeah!" they all screamed as the group shared another laugh. "Well, we'd best be going home now… It's one in the morning and we need to be up and early tomorrow, right, Sarah?" Claire asked. Sarah merely nodded.**

**The three walked away and boarded their ride home as the couple was left behind. Sarah leant her head on Jeremy's shoulder and said, "I'm tired… catching those mafia kings and all…" "I know, angel… But c'mon, we still have to go home… Don't go falling asleep on me…" he smirked. She giggled as they walked over to the helicopter that would bring them back home to Boston.**

**Once they got back to the little apartment they had, Jeremy carried Sarah bridal style through the door and plopped her down on the couch. He sat down beside her and caressed her dirt-smudged face. He lowered his face to hers and met her lips in a passionate kiss. Slowly, his hands began to roam her body as he slowly pulled the torn in many places black baby-tee she had on. He proceeded to wrap her legs around his waist and carried her to the bedroom.**

**He plopped her down on the bed and continued to lavish her mouth with kisses. The picture was just a silhouette of the two. And you couldn't see the details but you could see the passion. So, the rest of the night that was what they did. Show to each other just how much they loved one another.**

**They were now both on the bed with Sarah's head propped up on hand that was propped up by her elbow on the pillow. She was on her side with the blankets covering her 'til her chest. She was tracing random patterns on Jeremy's chiseled chest when he suddenly wrapped an arm around her slim waist and pulled her down onto him so her head was on his chest. He kissed her on the temple and said, "I love you, Sarah… I really do…"**

"**I love you, too…" she whispered back as she felt his hand caressing her hair. He took her hand into his and looked at the simple white gold band that encircled her ring finger. It was the engagement ring he used to propose to her a year ago. He played with it for a while and said, "I can't believe that in just two more weeks, you'll be my Mrs. Smith…"**

**She interlaced their fingers and then looked up to him. "I know… I can't believe it either… It seems just like yesterday when we first met… I still can't believe we've lasted as a couple for two years now…" she whispered. He placed a gentle peck on her lips and smiled down at her. "We have because we don't give up on each other…" he said.**

"**Promise me you'll never leave me, Jeremy… Promise me that…" she said.**

"**I promise, angel… I promise…" he said with a matching kiss. They both got comfortable in their positions as they fell asleep and dreamed the sweet dreams they did every single night about each other.**

**The next morning, as Jeremy went off to work in the FBI, Sarah went off to her day job: a hip-hop teacher for kids and teens at a local dance studio. No, she didn't do it alone. In fact, Anne and Claire were there with her. The three of them all coached together and had fun teaching the kids.**

**As they were practicing on the wooden floor with Chamillionaire's Hip Hop Police blasting through the studio, the phone rang for Sarah. She answered it and it said, "Sarah… This is Lt. Gordon… I'm sorry to say that Jeremy was abducted on his way here and we suspect that his abductor was the man you sent to jail, Collin Harris…"**

**That very moment, the whole world suddenly stopped for Sarah. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. But then, her mood swung and now there was fire burning in her eyes. She was so angry; you could see the dark brown of her eyes turn to flaming red in a split second. She was a woman with quite the temper.**

"**One more thing, McKinley… Harris has also abducted the President… White House security is going crazy… Harris attacked the president while he was driving to Columbia today… He killed all the security he had and grabbed the president… Harris escaped from the police last night, McKinley… I need you on the case…"**

**For two weeks, Anne, Claire and Sarah chased Collin all around the United States. They remained in contact through a cellular phone. He had always managed to escape from him one way or another. He was back with his gang and with the president and her fiancé with him; Sarah could feel nothing but seethe with anger for this man. There were lots of fight scenes and they showed different places like lakes and rivers and ratty old clubs. Everywhere they went there was always a fight.**

**At the end of the two weeks, she had finally cornered Harris inside an old lake house at night. Sarah had hunted him down on a personal note and left the rest of the FBI a couple of miles away from where she was. They had received a message that she had done her own investigation and they were on their way to searching for her. Sarah was one with quite a temper when someone messes with the people she loved. She rode off on a black horse to the lake house before jumping off and creeping closer to the abode.**

**The FBI got there on time. Sarah was just about to enter the house. Two agents pulled her back and Lt. Gordon screamed at her, "McKinley, how dare you go on an investigation without my permission?" "I'm sorry, but I can't sit around thinking of what that bastard is probably doing to my fiancé!" she screamed back.**

**Suddenly, the phone that Collin had been calling to update them rang. They answered him and he said, "I know you all are out there… I can see you… Look, I want McKinley in here and only McKinley… We're going to have a little talk… And I betcha you're dying to see your little fiancé over here and clean up his little cuts and wounds… So, you take the phone with you and come in… I'm going to give you your instructions…"**

**Sarah obeyed and stepped into the house with the phone at her ears. "I swear, Harris, I am going to murder you for what you're doing right now…" she said.**

"**Kill me? Dear Sarah, there is no possible way you can kill me…" he said in that evil voice. She just kept walking through the hallways and doors and finally got to one door where she peeked in and saw Collin sitting on a chair, back facing her, with a phone in his hands. She grabbed her .45 Magnum from her calf holster and silently loaded it with a full magazine.**

**She walked into the room and pointed the gun to his head, "How can I not kill you, Collin? You're an asshole…"**

**He smirked and said, "You know, lil sis, you were never one to be with the family business… Ever since that man came into your life, you've become goody-two-shoes… And dad… He died alongside mom 'cause you were the one that caught them in their evil businesses… Then you caught me… But I know you too well, sister dear… These people don't even know you're related to me…"**

"**Don't you ever realize that in one family, there's always a black sheep?" she said.**

"**Sis, you changed your name and transferred to the side that was against our family… It was because of Jeremy Smith that you did that… And now, I'm just making mom and dad proud… There has to be someone who will… And surely, that isn't you…" he said.**

"**What did the president have to do with this?" she asked firmly. **

**He just smirked some more and said, "It's a test, sister dear… Who would you prioritize? Your country… Or your dear beloved fiancé? They're both in this lake house, sis… And this button in my hands," he held up a black remote with a red button. "…This controls the bombs that are arrayed all over the house… So, act quick… 'Cause you have one minute left…" he pressed the button and ran for it.**

**Sarah, acting on instinct, pulled the trigger at his retreating figure and sent a bullet through his back. She didn't regret killing her own brother though it hurt. But she had one minute to save the rest of the world so she had to move quick. She ran all over the halls and checked every single one of the rooms.**

**She found the president tied up and gagged. She untied him and quickly brought him out but it was too late. The first couple of bombs exploded in the back, causing the house to catch fire instantly. She was able to bring the president outside and make sure he was safe. "Where's Harris?" Anne asked.**

"**Dead." Sarah said sharply. She was about to run back when the rest of the bombs exploded, sending her flying back to the others. She stood up and wiped the blood that was dripping from her cheek. There was a piece of flying glass that had cut her. She started running back to the fire-engulfed house but Claire, Anne and Matthew held her back. She fought back and tried to break free.**

"**Let me go, guys! I need to go in there and save Jeremy! I need to find him!" she screamed.**

"**The fire in that house is one hundred degrees up, Sarah! You can't get out alive!" Matthew screamed as he wrapped an arm around Sarah's waist.**

"**I don't care! If I die, I die with my love! I… Just let me go!" she fought back. But they remained firm in their grip.**

**She could only watch as the fire engulfed the whole house and blazed in the night sky. When she tried to fight, everything went in slow motion with her screaming. She watched on as tears fell by the bucket from her eyes. That was, before everything turned black.**

**She opened her eyes to see white. Pure white. To her sides were her friends, Matthew, Anne and Claire. They smiled down at her and said, "Finally, you're awake…"**

**She couldn't utter a word. Suddenly, a doctor came in. "Ah! Ms. McKinley…" he started. "It's nice to see you're up… I see the stress wasn't very good for the baby…"**

"**Baby?" she barely whispered.**

"**Yes, Ms. McKinley… You are, in fact, two weeks pregnant…" he said with pride.**

_**And that was the day I didn't know what to do… I was lost… But I made it through the nine months… I gave birth to this healthy baby boy and named him Daniel McKinley… But until now, I still remember the day Jeremy died… It was supposed to be the day we were going to get married… It was supposed to be a happy ending for a new beginning… It was supposed to be the fairytale we've always dreamed…**_

_**Jeremy, you promised me you'd never leave me… You promised you'd always be there… I guess, there are just some promises you cannot keep… 'Cause for you, the hundred degrees got in your way… I shouldn't have lost my temper with my brother… I shouldn't have…**_

"**Mommy… Can we go home now?" Little Daniel said to his mother. She nodded and picked him up in her arms.**

_**Daniel. He's an exact carbon copy of his father. Every time I look at this little kid, I remember Jeremy… I wonder how it would feel if he were here? We would probably be so happy… But hey, the past is the past… I have to let go of it and move on…**_

**As they were walking, someone tapped Sarah on her shoulder. "Excuse me, miss…" a male voice said. She spun around and came face-to-face with Jeremy. That was, before the screen turned black.**

November 29th, 2007, the lights in the SM Megamall cinema in Manila turned on as the people stood up to clap at the movie. The audience, composed of Angelina Jolie (Anne), Tia Carere (Claire), Matt Damon (Matthew), Channing Tatum (Collin Harris), Chad Michael Murray (Jeremy Smith), John Bonito (director), various WWE Superstars such as: John Cena, Randy Orton, Torrie Wilson, Mickie James, Shawn Michaels, Paul Levesque, Steph McMahon, Mark Calloway, Candice Michelle Beckham and Ric Flair; and of course, let us not forget the star of the night:

Riz Cruz (Sarah McKinley).

She was seated in the middle of Chad and Channing inside the movie house as they all applauded each other for a spectacular job. This movie had been their project for the past seven months. Movie: 100 Degrees. It took so long since Riz wanted it to be perfect being her first movie. "You looked so great up there on that big screen!" Chad said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"WE looked great up there!" she said as they both laughed. They were dressed as their characters were in the movie. Chad was wearing a pair of black dress pants and shoes along with a black blazer over a half-buttoned white polo. Riz was wearing a dirt-smudged white t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans with white converses. They were escorted from their seats being the lead characters and to the front of the cinema.

"How'd you guys find the movie?" Riz asked through the microphone she was given.

The audience burst out in a fit of screams and whistles. "Judging by their reaction, Riz, I think they didn't like it…" Chad said jokingly.

The audience screamed louder. "Well, they just proved you wrong…" Riz said as they both burst out in laughter. "Did all of you know that the whole fan population of Chad Michael Murray now hate me? 'Cause of the supreme fact that I got to make out with this man and actually spend a whole heckuva-lot of time with him?"

The crowd laughed. In some twisted way, there was truth in that. "Well, thank you so much, guys, for supporting this movie… John Bonito you are the most fabulous director ever! Angie, I love you for being such a great acting mentor… Tia, you're one of the best gal pals I'll ever have… Matt, thank you for reminding me of Cena everyday since you look like him! Channing, it was fun fighting with you when filming and running around the set with you off the record… And you, Chad…" she turned to face Chad. "Well, just thanks for being an asshole and dying and making my job of crying worse!"

"Hey! You know you loved it…" he teased. She slapped him on the arm. "The official soundtrack, recorded by the WWE Champion John Cena and Riz over here, of 100 Degrees will be released in fourteen days in Boston! The whole cast will be there for an autograph signing and photo-ops…" Chad announced as somewhere in the audience, Randy gave John a pat on the back.

Yes. The two were back to being best friends again. For some odd reason, John just waltzed up one day to Randy and asked him if he wanted to go bowling and perhaps get drunk or something. Randy said yes. They had a best friends' night out and they had a blast.

The people in the cinema soon left to the awaiting crowd outside. All of them crowded around the actors and actresses and took some pictures and asked for some autographs. Riz loved her fans. That was an understatement. She lived on their support. She signed so many things for them before they all departed to the Crowne Plaza Hotel to tuck in for the night.

Two weeks later, December 12th, 2007, in Boston, Massachusetts, the crowd was jumping wild as Riz and John came onstage and sang the theme song of 100 Degrees, Heat. It was a mix of John's rap and Riz's hip-hop sentí singing. Everyone was having a blast and singing along to the song as the two hyped it up on stage. They both loved to overreact, remember? So, imagine both of them on the stage as they jumped around like 7-year old kids.

Once the song ended, the crowd roared. Soon, the rest of the cast was introduced and from there the signing began. In order was: Matt, Angelina, Chad, Riz, John, Channing, Tia. Some took pictures and some kissed the stars on the cheek. Some simply asked for autographs and some were asking for weird things like marriage. Randy was watching from backstage. Of course, he had to be hidden since he and Riz were still known to be mortal enemies.

He peeked outside and what he saw moved him. There was this little girl, around the age of 5 or 6. She had long straight brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a pair of Osh Kosh jumpers over a purple Barney shirt and white rubber shoes. Riz had seated the little girl on her lap and asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I wanna sing an' dance an' act an' wrestle just like you!" the little girl screamed in pure excitement. She hugged Riz around the neck and said, "You my idol… When me get older, me wanna be like you!" before kissing Riz on the cheek. The stars 'aaw-ed' at the sight.

_I wonder how our kids would look like if she and I got married? Maybe like that little girl… Oh shit, Orton, what the hell are you thinking?_ Randy thought to himself before shaking the thoughts from his mind.

"Well, you just be a good little girl, study hard and be nice for mommy and you'll be just like me, 'kay?" Riz said. The girl nodded and got off Riz's lap. John looked at her and asked, "Were you ever a good little girl for your mom?"

She raised her eyebrow before saying, "Nah." in that blunt tone. They both burst out in laughter as the others came by. One teenage boy walked by and asked, "Say, Riz, are you and Chad going out?"

Chad decided to be playful there and wrapped an arm around Riz's waist. "We're keeping it on the down low…" he said in a hushed voice as the teen nodded and left. Riz hit him on the arm again before saying, "Great! That's gonna start rumors and the more all your fans are going to hate me!" He merely shrugged and smirked.

The rest of the autograph signing went well, and at the end of the day, the numbers from all over America came in. 100 Degrees' Soundtrack, Officially too HOT for ya, had sold an average of one thousand five hundred copies per recording store. And that was just during the first day! For a first time thing, it was good.

That night, they were going to have a party in celebration of the success of the movie in one of the ballrooms of the hotel they were staying at. There would be WWE Superstars including the WWE First Family, loads of actors and actresses, directors, producers and other people. It would be a huge party. And the star of night would be: RIZ.

Two hours before the party, as Riz was sitting in her room on her bed while flipping a WWE magazine, she thought of Nathan. She reminisced those times when they would sit on the bed together and just cuddle on a rainy night. Their late Saturday nights in Eastwood City burned in her memory as she sat there on her bed. She had flipped onto a page with her and Randy on it.

Her picture was one of a murderous glare towards the camera. Her eyes were brought out by smoky black eyeshadow and heavy black eyeliner. Her lips were covered with clear lipgloss. On her was a black razorback and loose black cargo capris. Her hair was up in a ponytail, the ends slightly curled, and her bangs were swept to the side. On the other side of the page was Randy wearing all black, too, and with his usual cocky smirk on his face. The title on the bottom was:

**When you try so desperately to hate someone, is there a chance to fall in love? Will these two ever get along after three years?**

She laughed at the title. On screen, they really still were battling it out, much to the dismay of the crowd. There was one time, on John's Five Questions show, that someone from Phoenix, Arizona asked about Riz and Randy. The question was: Hey, John! I'm not so sure about this question but I've been dying to ask, why is it that Riz and Orton fight so much? They would really make a cute couple. I mean, she's the only one who can tame him and he's the only one who can tame her, too… Why don't they get along?

Her mind drifted off to Nathan. He was the perfect guy any girl could ask for. He was sweet, had a sense of humor, smart, cheerful, sensitive, protective. In her mind, she could only regret why she hadn't even gone home to see his funeral take place. She remembered the night he asked her to be his girlfriend. Oh, how the night of glamour played back in her mind.

_Junior prom was going well. People were playing along with the theme of Hollywood. There were girls in fur here and the others completely covered in sequins. There were guys in tuxedos drinking non-alcoholic drinks and everyone was just plain having fun. Nathan, wearing the usual black and white tuxedo, sat at a table with his date, Riz, wearing a pale pink Venus-cut chiffon dress that fit her body but A-lined starting from the hips._

"_Hey, butterfly, can we… Uhm… Talk? Alone?" the young teenage boy asked._

"_Sure… Let's head outside…" she said. Together, they walked out of the prom venue and to the small playground outside the hotel. She sat on the swing as he paced about in front of her. She titled her head at his actions and asked, "What's up, Nate? You haven't been yourself lately…"_

_He knelt down on one-knee in front of her and rested his hands on her lap. He took a deep breath before saying, "Ann… We've known each other for three years now… We've been the best of friends and nothing could ever compare to that…" she nodded. "I just… Since… For a couple of months now, I've never really had enough courage to walk up to you and say this…"_

"_I mean… Who am I kidding? You're beautiful and your famous, too, and… No one and nothing could ever compare to you…" he stuttered and beat around the bush. She tilted his head by hooking her finger under his chin. Their eyes met and she said, "Stop stuttering, Nate… Whatever you want to say, say it straight…"_

_He nodded as she took her hand back. He looked down and bit his bottom lip before taking her hand in his and kissing it. "Butterfly, we've been through a lot together… I mean crushes and break-ups, stress to success… We've been together… As best friends… And right now, I just wanted to say that…" he swallowed hard. "…That I wish we could be more than just best friends…" he said as he rubbed the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb._

_She took her hand back and looked away. He shuffled uneasily and nervously in his position and said, "I understand if… You're not interested… But, I just wanted you to know all of this before I chicken out again… It's best you know it… 'Cause it's… How I feel…"_

_She looked at him as he stood up and dusted his black pants free from the loose sand. She stood up from her seat on the swing and jumped into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. He wrapped her arms around her confused. What was that supposed to mean?_

_He was lost until he heard her whisper, "How come you always seem to know what's in my heart?"_

_He pulled away and held her shoulders and arms length. She smiled up at him with tears streaking down her cheeks. He asked, "Are you serious?"_

_She nodded. He pulled her back for another tight hug. He kissed her on the temple lightly and buried his face in her hair. "Thank you…" was the only thing he could say._

_That's where it all began; where it all started. That night, it was simply the start of something new._

The scene played in her head as a small smile grazed her lips. She missed him. But for some reason, after he died, after that hole in her heart was made, after she saw the red rose, she felt complete again. Not that she had learnt not to love Nate, he would always have a special spot in her life and heart, but she felt as thought someone had come in to take his place. She walked over to her body bag which was on the armchair and opened it. She got a small black box from inside and opened it. There it lay, on a pile of white silk.

_The candles were lit. The roses were strewn everywhere. There was soft romance music playing in the background. Nathan was shuffling in his seat on the simple candlelit dinner he had prepared for Riz on the same playground he asked her to be his girlfriend. Tonight, they were celebrating Riz's first win of the Women's Championship. She had flown back to celebrate._

"_What's wrong, Nate? You're acting like that same night here when you asked me to be your girlfriend…" Riz said, noticing her significant other's strange actions. His green eyes couldn't meet hers as he shuffled around in his seat._

"_Well, I have a reason to be…" he said, finally looking into her confused eyes._

"_What is it? C'mon… You know that we can tell each other anything…" she said._

_He took a deep breath and stood up before kneeling down in front of her on one knee. Like the night a couple of years ago, he laid his hands on her lap. "We've been together for… What? Around eight years now… And I couldn't help but think… Of how spending more than that of my life with you would feel…" he started._

_He grabbed something from the left chest pocket of his blazer and held it up to her. He flipped the box open and there sat, on pure white silk, a white gold engagement ring with a simple 14-karat diamond resting on top of it. "I've always wanted to go out into the world and say how my wife is the most beautiful person in the world…" he said as she sat there shocked out of her wits._

"_I've always imagined myself holding you in my arms every night before we go to bed and waking up to you every morning… I've always wanted to know how it feels to be woken up by a little boy perhaps as he squealed mommy and daddy and realize that this is the treasure I keep everyday with my wife…" he spoke._

"_I've always wanted to ask this girl in front of me, whether she be Ann or Riz, if she would be my wife?" he asked._

_She couldn't help but smile and nod her head. In a breaking voice she spoke, "Yes…" as tears flowed freely from her eyes. He slipped the ring onto her finger as he picked her up from the chair by her waist and spun her in the air. He pulled her close to him and kissed her with every ounce of love he had for her. It was perfect._

Riz, wishing that night would happen again, felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered that night. She could only long to be back home with Nathan and probably be happy as hell. She took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her right ring finger. The familiar feeling of his touch came flooding back to her senses.

She heard someone knock on her door so she snapped out of her reverie and walked to the door. She opened it and came face to face with Randy Orton. He was holding some paper bags and he was dressed in a pair of jeans, a white muscle shirt and his tennis shoes. His hair was gelled into spikes and on his face was a smile. "Hey, you, I was wondering… Maybe… Since you still have all this time before your party… Maybe you'd like to grab some coffee or a latte with me downstairs in Starbucks? You know, have a little chat…" he asked.

"Uhm, sure, why not… Gimme a sec, Im'ma just grab my jacket and put on my shoes…" she said. He nodded and stepped into the room. He placed the paper bags on the kitchenette counter as he looked around her room. There were magazines all over the place and there were DVDs near the TV. Yep. She had obviously been whiling away the time with this stuff.

Riz came back in from the bathroom wearing white Skechers sneakers and pink ped socks. On her shoulders was a plain white hoodie with pockets up front. Her hair was thrown into two loose braids and her bangs were swept gently to the side. She looked at him and flashed a sweet smile while saying, "Let's go?"

He nodded as they both left her room. She locked up and stuffed the card key into her hoodie pocket. They walked down the hall and to the elevator. The whole time, there was pure silence looming them. Randy had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he rubbed the back of his neck every now and then. Riz just bounded about and observed the interesting pattern on the hotel carpeting. Once they got to the elevator, Randy decided to break the ice.

"So, uhm… I heard from John that your CD is selling through the roof…" he said, not bothering to face her.

"Yeah… We received the news that there were 'bout a thousand and five hundred sold per shop in America a couple of hours after they released the album…" she replied, not looking at him, too.

"That's good…" he said. Once again there was silence surrounding them before the sound of the elevator arriving and its doors opening disrupted their little tranquility.

They stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. With them inside the elevator was an old couple. They were like about any other ordinary old couple in the world. They looked old. While the elevator was moving, Riz suddenly felt a gust of wind from the airconditioner in the elevator. She was just wearing shorts so she suddenly felt cold. "Jeez, I forgot how cold it gets here in Boston…" she said.

Randy extended his arm out to her but was pretty precarious to whether he should wrap his arm around her shoulder or let her ask for him to do so. In the end, he decided to take the initiative and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her closer, now wrapped both arms around her and hugged her to his body to keep her warm. She let herself be hugged since she needed the heat.

The old couple looked at them and the wife said, "Don't you two look so adorable… I'm so happy for you, young lady; you have such a gentleman as your boyfriend…"

"Uhm…" Riz said while pulling away from Randy. "He's not my boyfriend, ma'am… We're just good friends out to grab some coffee…"

"Oh really?" the husband said. "Judging by the way you two act and by the way this young man looks at you, we could've sworn you were a couple…"

"Well… Sir, we aren't really romantically connected… Though we're often mistaken for such… We're just really good friends…" Randy said as he wrapped an arm around Riz's shoulders.

"Well, we're sorry for the mistake…" the wife said as the doors opened to their floor. They began to step out as the wife said, "You two would've been such an adorable couple… Shame that you're not…"

The doors closed after that. Riz and Randy just stared at each other with questioning eyes before cracking up a nervous laughter. They just stood there as the laughter died down and they just resorted to standing on opposite sides of the elevator. The little bell dinged, signaling that they were finally on the lobby. Both of them stepped out and they headed towards the Starbucks café.

Inside, the aroma of coffee was so delectable to Riz's senses. She was a girl who pretty much loved caffeine. Whether it came in the form of chocolate or coffee, it was what kept her going on most days. She stepped up to the counter and smiled at the cashier. She was a girl, roughly around the age of 17, with blonde hair, blue eyes, braces in her mouth and a couple of freckles here and there. "How may I help you, Ms. Cruz?" the girl asked.

So, she watches wrestling. Riz smiled and said, "I'll take a grande white chocolate mocha… I seriously need the caffeine…"

The young girl, Kaye, as her nametag had suggested, smiled back and punched her order in. She turned to face Randy and asked, "How about you, sir? Will you be getting anything?"

Randy replied, "I'll take the same as her…" and put his credit card on the counter. "…And I'm paying for her drink, too…"

"No way, Randy, I can't make you pay for my drink! I'll pay for my own! You know, Kaye, don't listen to him and just swipe his card for his own drink…" Riz said. Randy shook his head and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Hey, Riz, chill… I want to buy you a drink… I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't…" he said and smiled unlike the smirk he uses on TV.

"Alright, then…" she said, holding her hands up meaning she gave up. Kaye smiled at the two and swiped the card for both orders. After Randy had signed the bill, they sat at one of the tables with the green couches as they waited for their orders. Soon, their names were called and they stood up to get their drinks.

The decided to walk around the hotel for a little bit as they drank their coffees. They didn't care if people saw them together; it was their lives after all. Randy noticed the ring on her finger and asked, "Is that a new ring?"

She shook her head no and looked at the band on her finger. She played with it with her thumb and let the tears begin to well up in her eyes. She took a sip of her white chocolate mocha before she took a deep breath and said, "This was the engagement ring Nate used to propose to me a couple of years ago…"

Randy, being the gentleman, took Riz's right hand in his left and interlaced their fingers. He squeezed her hand slightly and called for her attention. "Hey…" he said. She looked up to him with glazed eyes. "Don't cry… Don't remember that he's gone, Riz… Remember the good times you had and the love he gave you…" he said. She smiled and cuddled closer to him. "Thanks…" came her whispered reply.

They walked around some more and talked about various stuff. They talked about Riz's movie and Randy's probable Heavyweight Championship shot at the December PPV against the reigning champion, The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels. They encountered some fans and signed a couple of autographs and took a couple of pictures. Some asked why they were together and they just replied that they were trying to settle things between them and talk. Way to save the storyline.

Soon enough, they found themselves back in Riz's room sitting on the couch in front of the TV that was being ignored. Randy decided to be a man and say, "Well, I guess I better get to the bottom of this visit…"

She quirked a confused eyebrow. "Why? What's up? Anything wrong?" she asked.

"Well, Riz, the party's in about an hour… And I just came by here, perhaps, if you weren't going to your special party with anyone… If probably, you would… You know, give me the honor of being your date for the night?" he asked, a little nervous.

She smiled at him and nodded. "Why not, Randy… I'd love it for you to be my date tonight…" she said. He smiled and said thanks. He kissed her on the cheek and said, "I'll pick you up in about forty-five minutes, okay?" She nodded as he left with a smile on his face.

She looked at the kitchenette table by the door and saw the paper bags that Randy had come in with earlier. She walked over to them and saw and envelope with her name on one of them. She took it and read the note inside, which was written in Randy's squiggly chicken-scratch of a penmanship:

**Hey, Riz… This stuff is for you… I mean you can wear it if you want… It's something I had to ask Trish to come with me to shop for… Yes, Trish helped me… I had enough guts to walk up to her and ask… And I asked her to fly in for me… But anyway, I thought you might like this… And I hope you wear it tonight… Tonight is about you… You don't have to be invincible tonight… You can be whoever you want to be… And for me, personally, I think you could be a girl tonight, Riz… Don't be afraid… -Randy**

She opened up one of the paper bags and peeked inside. There she saw the most beautiful white dress she had ever seen. It was a tube dress where the skirt, which started at the hips, A-lined down until a quarter up her knees. The part where the skirt started had a two inch white silk ribbon around it. It was a pretty fit dress made out of soft cloth. She checked the other bag and saw a matching pair of white shoes to accompany the dress. It was a pair of three-inch white platform heels with straps to wrap around until midway up the calves.

She instantly felt giddy about tonight and bounded off to the shower. She took a quick cold shower to wake up her senses and rinsed herself free of any sweat and dust that had clung onto her body. She stepped out and went over to the mirror over the sink. She brushed her teeth and blow-dried her hair. Just when she was about to put the scrungee onto her ponytail, she double-backed and remember what Randy said. _I think you could be a girl tonight, Riz… Don't be afraid…_

She immediately let loose her hair and let it flow down her shoulders. She grabbed the dress and put it on, seeing how well it fit her body. It was simple yet classy; she'd have to thank Trish later on. She grabbed her worst nightmare, make-up, and saw it as a chance to be playful with herself. She applied skin-tone foundation and concealer to the bags beneath her eyes due to the stress. She placed white eyeshadow onto her eyelids and blended it in with some grey. She put on some light pink blush and clear mascara before applying clear lipgloss.

Next step, her hair. She gathered a small part of hair on top of her head, twisted it a couple of times and then pinned it on with some bobby pins. She curled her hair at the ends and left some to dangle in front of her face. Once she was satisfied, right on time, the doorbell rang.

She walked over on her bare feet and opened the door to see Randy on the other side. There he was, dressed in a pair of black dress shoes, black dress pants, plain white round-neck shirt and a black blazer. His hair was gelled into spikes and he smelled of cologne, just like he had just come out of the shower.

"Hey, Randy! Uhm… Come on in and sit down for a while… I'm just going to go finish up…" Riz said. Randy nodded, not being able to say anything upon seeing her in the dress. She looked downright beautiful. He stepped in and sat on the couch like she had said as she bounded back in the bathroom to finish up. She wore simple diamond stud earrings and a simple diamond charm bracelet as her accessories. She kept the engagement ring on, just so she could admire it every now and then.

She slipped into the shoes and strapped them up. She stood up straight and saw that now, instead of being 5"4, she seemed more like 5"7 and that made her feel good about herself. She didn't take a bag with her; neither did she take her phone nor anything else in particular. She walked out of the room and saw Randy sitting on the couch facing her. She said, "I'm ready… Thanks for everything, Randy…"

He stood up and walked in front of her. "I'm not done yet…" he said.

He spun around a confused Riz so that her back was against his chest. Suddenly, she felt something cold touch her neck. Her fingers went up to it and they felt a necklace that must have had more than a hundred small diamonds in five rows. It was just a simple necklace with five rows of small diamonds. As soon as Randy clasped the back securely, he leant down to her ear and said, "This is just part one…"

She spun around and hugged him tight. "Thank you…" were the only words to slip from her mouth.

He held out his elbow to her as she linked her arm with his and they left the room to head to the ballroom downstairs. Once they got down there, they were met by John who was dressed in a pair of black slacks and a white polo that was left unbuttoned halfway. He took Randy away as Riz was to be introduced to the crowd for her 'grand entrance'.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen…" Lilian, playing emcee of the event, said. "We are all gathered here today to celebrate the successful release of a WWE production… The movie, 100 Degrees, was a hit, a major blockbuster, in cinemas all over the world… Its soundtrack, Heat, recorded by our very own colleagues, was, as of earlier, selling albums through the roof…"

"Fellow WWE Superstars, Mr. and Mrs. McMahon, all Hollywood celebrities present, may I have the utmost honor to present to you one of the most successful divas in the WWE and the star of this production… Riz!" she announced.

'_Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_

Riz stepped through the double-doors and walked down the aisle with a smile on her face. There were superstars everywhere and they all made room for her to walk by. She shook the hands of some and smiled for the photographers. The WWE male superstars whistled at her outfit as she waved to them and blew a kiss. She hugged her fellow divas and her costars for the movie. She walked over to the end of the aisle and saw Randy there, waiting for her, with an outstretched hand and a smile on his face.

She gladly placed her hand in his as he spun her around before catching her and wrapping an arm around her waist. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "Just have fun tonight… Forget everything else… Smile and relax… Be yourself…"

She nodded and smiled back as he led her to the head table. There, they sat together as dinner was served to all the guests. There was chattering and mingling everywhere. You could hear the clinking of glasses and spoons and forks. There was laughter here and sudden burst of wildness there. It was a fun night and everyone was clearly enjoying it.

It was dance time now as everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to what Lilian had to say. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for our special star to have a dance with her date for the night…" she said.

Randy stood up from his seat and turned to Riz. He extended his hand to her and asked, "May I have a dance with this beautiful woman?"

She placed her hand in his without any hesitation as he led them both to the dance floor. The crowd clapped as they connected in the middle of the ring with Randy's arms around her waist and hers around his neck. "I still don't like you, Randy…" she said as 'Start of Something New' by the Vanessa Ann Hudgens and Zac Efron played on the speakers and Randy slowly led Riz into a simple slow dance.

_**Living in my own world  
didn't understand  
that anything can happen  
when you take a chance**_

"No more dancing for you?" Riz asked in a joking manner, pertaining to the time around two years ago when he had made her dance for him. They look back to that time and they sometimes laugh at it. He shook his head no. "You could dance for me again…" he said with a smile. "But tonight… You're dancing with me… That's an order…" She smiled.

_**I never believed in  
what I couldn't see  
I never opened my heart  
to all the possibilities**_

They swayed to the music in sync with the other. The crowd watched as the scene unfolded before their very eyes. Riz looked up into Randy's baby blue eyes and saw that familiar twinkle, if not the same, that she saw when she was with Nathan. It was as if Randy knew everything about her. It was like he was her mirror. She could look at him and everything would make sense.

_**I know that something has changed; never felt this way  
and right here tonight  
This could be the start of something new  
It feels so right to be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart the start of something new**_

Randy drew something from inside his blazer and handed it to Riz. It was a simple long-stemmed red rose. With it, he said, "Take the red rose, not as the end of Nate, Riz… Look at it as a beginning… A new beginning…"

_**Now who'd of ever thought that  
we'd both be here tonight  
and the world looks so much brighter  
with you by my side**_

She took the rose in her hand and smiled up to him. This all felt so familiar yet so different. Was it history repeating itself for her? "I want to ask you something, Randy… And I want you to be honest with me when you answer it…" she said. He nodded. "Those nights we spent together when you were injured… Did you… really say I was beautiful?" He nodded shyly.

"Did you really prod me on the shoulder after the Christmas party and asked me if you could sleep with me since it was lonely in the other room?" her eyes narrowed some. He nodded and looked down feeling so pathetic of himself. He looked away from her a little but she grabbed his attention again. "Thank you…" she said with a smile.

_**That it's the start of something new  
It feels so right to be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart the start of something new**_

_**Start of something new**_

"My turn… That night when the rain poured and we were stuck in your house… Did you really just walk up to me, poke me and ask if you could sleep with me because you were afraid of thunder?" he asked. She looked down and felt ashamed of her fear. "Yeah, I did… I couldn't help it if I was just so scared of thunder… Just my girly side, I guess…" she said and avoided his eyes.

He tilted her head to look into his eyes and said, "We're all afraid of something… If it makes you feel any better, I'll admit to you, I, Randall Keith Orton, am afraid of being alone…" she smiled and laughed slightly at his randomness.

He smiled at her smile and realized it was now or never. "Look, Riz… I just… I don't know… I mean… I've been meaning to tell you something… A-" Randy couldn't finish what he was about to say because John came in and tapped Riz on the shoulder. She spun around and he asked, "May I have a dance with the lovely lady?" Riz turned to face Randy again.

"Uhm… We'll talk later, okay?" she said. He merely nodded.

Riz let herself be led by John as he dragged her out of the ballroom. "John, wait, I thought you wanted to dance?" she, obviously confused by John's actions, asked him.

He didn't reply. He just dragged her out of the hotel and to a garden outside. He spun her around to face him and spoke, "You do know that I am a native of Boston, right?" She nodded.

"You do know that I'm used to the climate 'round here, right?" She nodded.

"You do know that it's almost Christmastime, right?" She nodded.

"You do know that I checked the weather forecast earlier, right?" She shook her head.

He pointed his finger up and she looked up. There it was. The snow was just beginning to fall and the small particles were like stars on a black night sky. She felt the first couple of bits of snow touch her skin and one even landed on her nose. "Oh my god, John, this is beautiful…" she said.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side as they both stood there and watched the snow fall down onto them. "Care to explain to me why you're suddenly becoming such a softie?" she asked him as he squeezed her shoulders closer to him.

"I just thought… And I remembered the time when you first saw snow… Since, the weather forecast said that it would be an early snowy start tonight here in Boston, I decided, y'know, to see that kid in you again… 'Cause ever since you and Randy have gotten close, which I'm totally down with since you're both close to me, I feel like, y'know…" he said.

"… Like I'm losing my little sister… It's like you just grew up and became this woman after you came back from your break in St. Louis… I just miss ya, Rizzie wizzie…" he said with a slight twinge of innocence in his low voice. "…And y'know, I just… I just want to see the little kid again… It's not that I'm not happy with you like this but… I… Am I making sense here?"

She chuckled at his question and shook her head. She hugged his midsection and buried her face in his chest. She whispered, "Look, John, no matter how much I grow up, I'll always be your little sister… I'll always be that little girl who loves snow and the one who jumps on your back for a piggy-back ride… No matter how old I get, I'll still be your Rizzie wizzie…" and with that, John hugged her closer, as if never to let her go.

"There's something that's been running 'round in my mind lately… May I… At least… Ask how you and Randy became close after that break in St. Louis? I mean, it's like you magically got along after that…" he asked, a little precarious of this whole thing between his two best friends.

"I… Uhm… I… I kinda told him everything that has been bothering me… For the past years of my life…" she said, unsure of how John would react since he's been the one telling her to open up but she never did to him. She looked down and refused to meet his eyes.

He tilted her head by hooking his finger underneath his chin so that he could look straight into her eyes. "So, you mean, you opened up to him?" he asked. She could only nod and look away, feeling so guilty of herself that very moment. "I…I…" the words couldn't come out. "I… It's not that I don't trust you, 'cause I do… But it was just that he was there and he offered and I needed someone and I couldn't find you and I thought that he would be like you a-" she started to ramble before he silenced her with his finger.

"Did you feel better after the talk?" he asked. She nodded. He nodded back and said, "That's good… Look, Riz, as much as I hate Randy for being the jackass every time you two would meet, I know he also has a soft side… And it's okay that I wasn't the one you opened up to… I understand 'cause I really wasn't there and I really left you with him… Actually, I asked him to tell me but he wouldn't 'cause he said that you trusted him and it was mighty personal…"

Riz could only smile. Maybe it was because John was such an understanding guy. Maybe it was because she found Randy and he was the right person to confide everything in. Maybe it was both. Or maybe it was simply because it was all she could do that moment. She hugged John and buried her face in his chest as he hugged her back and they stood there in the beginning of Winter Wonderland.

After the party that night, all of the superstars boarded a plane to New York City for their next house show. December 13, 2007. Actually, it wasn't a house show. It was a PPV in Madison Square Gardens. All of them boarded the plane and most of them slept since the partying had taken most of their energy. The plane was quiet and all you could hear were the silent whispers of two people. Riz and Randy.

Yes, they sat together on some occasions. The plane was small and it only had two columns of seats with an aisle in between. Every row had four seats, two on the left and two on the right. As for Riz and Randy, they sat on the very last row of the left column with Riz occupying the window seat.

They were playing a nice game of thumb-war to occupy themselves. They were laughing and plain having fun. So far, it was Randy getting the upper-hand thanks to his big thumb. "You know, Randy, every day I think of Nate and I wonder how it would be like to have him with me…" she whispered before looking at him.

"Tonight, I just wonder how it feels to be with him if we had gotten married… We'd probably be celebrating our second year of marriage and probably our tenth year of being a couple… There would probably be a little one-year old running 'round and screaming…" she said as tears were about to fall from her eyes.

Before they had boarded the plane, Riz had changed into a pair of loose black denim hipsters and one of John's jerseys. Randy, on the other hand, had just taken off his blazer to reveal the round-neck white shirt beneath it and changed into a pair of loose denim jeans for comfort.

Randy took her hand and interlaced their fingers like earlier that day. He whispered, "Look, Riz, stop thinking about Nate and that probable one-year old… It's just a fantasy and you should let go of it… You know you should…" "But, Randy! All I've ever wanted in this crazy life is that fairytale… I know it sounds weird but look at it! That fairytale… It's so… It's calling out to me… It's saying like, 'Riz, come to me and be happy!' in that come-hither voice…And…" she whispered violently. He silenced her with his finger.

"Riz… Rewind it to tonight and compare it to your definition of your fairytale…" he said. "You were able to walk down an aisle wearing a pure white dress… At the end of that aisle you saw a man with his hand held out to you… And I'm not so sure if you looked into my eyes but I'm telling you now that I really will take care of you always… I may not know you to the bone but I know you enough to say that I care for you…"

"We danced our first official dance as friends 'cause the one after Wrestlemania a couple of years ago wasn't really a 'dance'… It was more of like a game to get into the other's head so let's disregard that… After the party, right now, we're flying off to a special place… We're flying off to New York… And don't tell me you didn't feel beautiful… You were, Riz… You were beautiful… That's why I said it to you back when we were still at your house…" he explained to her. "I planned it for you… So that you could live that fairytale you've always wanted…"

"How is New York so special, Randy? It's just a freakin' city in the middle of the United States…" she whispered.

He grabbed something from his bag and shook it before showing it to her. She looked at the object in Randy's hand and it reminded her of so many things. It was none other than the snow globe she had given him. It was still scratch-free and in mint condition. Inside, the scene of New York City burned in her memory. There was the Empire State Building, St. Peter's Basilica, the Statue of Liberty and many more buildings. "Isn't New York a special place… for you and me?" he whispered.

She took the snow globe in her hands and played with it for a little while as she rested her head on his shoulder. He lifted the armrest and pulled her closer by wrapping his arm around her waist and laying her head on his chest as she played with the snow globe. "Look, Riz, I've been meaning to tell you something and I'd best tell you now…" he started. "I- Riz?" he looked to his side and saw that:

The little fairytale princess had fallen asleep.

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**Thanks to all those who reviewed! sweetcandyfun, techwiz, wml and Enigmatic Lotus Leaf.**

**You know, I really ought to learn how to update earlier. Hmm. Ah well, guys, I'm promising an update in 2 weeks! I promise that. This is the third to the last chapter, by the way. Hope you guys are enjoying the story! Keep them reviews comin'!**

-**_veracruzortongal_**


	14. Twist of Fate

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me.

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**Chapter Thirteen: Twist of Fate**

**Armageddon 2007**** – ****December 13, 2007****(Madison Square Gardens, New York)**

'_Hey… Hey! Nothing you can say! Nothing's gonna change what you've done to me!'_

It was one of those nights when you don't have all that much energy but you still have the fans' cheering to pump all the adrenaline into your lifeless system. That was exactly what Randy was feeling the moment he stepped out from the curtains and onto the stage. The fans were absolutely amazing and their cheers were nothing short of music to his ears. He posed on top of the ramp before slowly walking down slapping some of the fans' hands in the process. Tonight, he was feeling sociable. I guess you could use the flight incident with Riz as one of the prime reasons.

"**The following match is scheduled for one-fall and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship! Introducing first the Number One Contender, from St. Louis, Missouri… Weighing in at 245 pounds… The Legend Killer, RANDY ORTON!"** Lilian's voice surrounded the arena.

Randy continued his posing inside the ring as the fans half-cheered and half-booed. Of course, he was still a cocky asshole on screen so it was inevitable that some of the fans would hate him for being such. He climbed down from the turnbuckle he had been posing on and started shifting around the ring to get himself comfortable with the ambience.

'_I think I'm cute… I know I'm sexy… I've got the looks…'_

The familiar music of the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, echoed through the arena as the crowd gave him an amazing standing ovation. He stepped out in his red, black and silver chaps with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist. He started running around the top of the ramp and hyping up the crowd for the main event. He looked towards the ring and directly at the Number One Contender for his title, Randy Orton, as Lilian introduced him.

"**Introducing next is the World Heavyweight Champion! From San Antonio, Texas… Weighing in at 225 pounds… The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels!"** Lilian announced once again.

Shawn walked down the ramp and to the ring as he headed for his match for the night. He climbed into the ring as Randy backed himself to the turnbuckle to let the champion do his strutting around the ring with the belt. Once Shawn had surrendered his title to the referee and the match had officially begun with the ring of the bell, the two superstars sized each other up for the perfect start of the match.

At first, Randy got the upper-hand with him punching away at Shawn. But the veteran wasn't one to be underestimated. He retaliated with punches of his own and chops to Randy's bare chest as he cornered the younger superstar to the turnbuckle. With that boot of his, Shawn stomped away at Randy's stomach as the contender was stuck in the turnbuckle.

After receiving five stomps to the stomach, Randy finally woke up from his tensed state and started getting his second wind as he grabbed Shawn's boot in mid-air and twisted it so the champion was now hopping on one foot. Randy drove the perfect dropkick to the other calf of the champion, falling down to his knees. Randy grabbed the now injured Shawn by the head and performed a back-cracker for the record.

Randy held onto his aching stomach and tried to stand back up but ended up rolling on the canvas in pain. Good thing the other wrestler in the ring was also writhing in pure agony as his back arched. The referee started the ten-count for the count-out. 1. Randy tried to get up but was hopeless in doing so. 2. Shawn tried standing up but he couldn't pull himself with enough force. 3. Randy grabbed the bottom rope and pulled himself up so that he could breathe.

4. Shawn grasped the turnbuckle and pulled himself up slowly, not minding the pain that was searing his back. 5. Randy was up on one foot as he tried to beat the count. 6. Shawn was also up on one foot as he tried to support himself. 7. Both men were up and still slightly dazed from everything that had happened. Randy saw the chance and got down to his knuckles to stalk the next victim of his prided finisher.

Shawn took the hint from the fans as he pieced together the puzzle. Once he turned around, Randy was going to catch him and pull off his finisher. Well, he'll be damned if this champion would let that happen. He spun around, seeing Randy charging at him but he immediately ducked and caught the younger superstar around the waist to perform the counter, a side-scoop slam.

As the younger superstar writhed around in pain, Shawn went over to the turnbuckle as the crowd began to roar. He was setting up for his finisher now. Sweet Chin Music. It was time to do some singing here. Shawn began to stomp his feet and hit the canvas one by one as the crowd counted in sync how many he had done. 1. Randy was still struggling to get up but to no avail. 2. Randy had succeeded slumping onto the bottom rope but he still couldn't stand up.

3.4.5. Randy just slumped there dazed for three seconds. 6. He was up on one foot. 7. Randy was back up on both feet thought slightly spaghetti-legged. He spun around to be met by Shawn's boot to his chin but he had evaded it. Once Shawn had turned around, Randy had met him with his own finisher, the RKO. He pulled Shawn's leg up for the three-count. 1… 2… 3.

The bell rang as the referee raised Randy's arm up for the victory. The fans stood up from their seats and welcomed the new champion. They cheered at the sound of Randy's theme song blaring throughout the whole arena. As Shawn was being rolled out of the ring, the referee gave Randy his title belt.

"**The winner of this match and your NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION… THE LEGEND KILLER, RANDY ORTON!"** Lilian announced as the crowd went wild again.

Randy paraded around the ring as she showed off his title belt. He felt so overwhelmed with emotions at that time that all the weariness in the world couldn't bring him down from posing on the turnbuckle and lavishing the fans' cheers. He basked in his own glory as he kissed the cold gold of the title belt before raising it up again. He jumped off the turnbuckle, got out of the ring and ran up the ramp. At the very top, he posed again before going backstage through the curtains.

A lot of people were congratulating him on his win even if they already knew that he would capture the gold tonight. But he didn't mind them. He muttered thank you here and there but he was in search of someone else. He could get that someone and show her his just claimed title and perhaps tell her something else.

But to no avail, Randy ran around the whole backstage and didn't even catch a glimpse of her. Ever since the start of the show or even before that, she hadn't been spotted by any of the crew members or superstars. He checked the locker room but she wasn't there. At catering, she wasn't there, too. He looked at the monitor showing what was happening outside and saw that John was taking on Triple H for the WWE Championship. Yes, John had lost the title a couple of months prior to today.

Since Riz had come back from her break in St. Louis, she had often accompanied John in his matches during PPVs and house shows. Tonight, it was one of the most highlighted matches in John's career and Riz, unfortunately, wasn't there. She had disappeared since they touched down at the airport a couple of hours ago. Randy was actually beginning to worry.

Randy watched as John's bloody match with Triple H progressed. It was just your normal one-on-one match with the championship on the line but some way, somehow, both John and Triple H had found themselves with busted head and a cut lip. I guess it only goes to show how much they both want the championship around their waists.

Randy, completely forgetting about the whole searching for Riz bit, got so engrossed in the match that he didn't notice someone bump into him. He looked behind him, at first wanting to scream at whoever had disrupted his watching, but then his features softened as his eyes fell on a certain little woman who was on her back.

"Oh my god, Riz! Why'd you bump into me like that? You could've hurt yourself!" he exclaimed as he crouched down and knelt in front of her. When earlier, he said that the crowd's cheering was music to his ears, bah, that was nothing compared to this. The sound of her voice and the mere sight of her was pure harmony.

She was simply wearing a pair of black RRJ camouflage cargos, white Skechers sneakers and a white Harvard USA top with black words on the bottom right part that said 'Challenge me' in different shades and sizes. Her hair was flowing down the sides of her face with her bangs tucked behind her ears.

Riz laughed slightly. "I've felt that I'm gonna be hurt today since this morning… Damn these wet sneakers…" she said. Then her eyes caught glimpse of the shiny thing that Randy had just discarded upon kneeling down to her. Her eyes widened as she hugged his neck and exclaimed, "OMG! Randy! You're the World Heavyweight Champion now!"

"Yeah…" he said as he hugged her back. She held him at arms length before eyeing him up and down and saying, "Now, this title looks good on you…" with a slight laugh.

"I was looking for you, actually… And I wanted to tell you thanks because I wouldn't have gotten this without you…" he said with a heart-stopping smile that could melt every girl. "And… I was also looking for you because I wanted to tell you something that I've been dying to tell you…" he continued. But then, a damned voice cut their certain predicament of sitting on the floor when it said, "Ms. Cruz, Mr. Cena's match has just ended… You have a promo with him in his locker room after commercial…"

It was one of the camera crew. And boy, did Randy want to kill that man right then and there and shove his championship down his throat. With a heavy sigh, Riz stood up and fixed up her clothes. She extended her hand out to Randy and he willingly took it and pulled himself up. She slightly slipped on her sneakers but he caught her by the waist. "You should really change your shoes, Riz… You might hurt yourself out there…" he said.

"Nah… It's no big… It'll dry in no time…" she said stubbornly. She took the black pony holder from her right wrist and pulled her hair up into a messily-stylish ponytail. She smiled at him and said, "We'll talk later…" He merely nodded.

He watched as she walked away from him. But then, she suddenly turned around and walked back to him. She dug into one of the pockets of her cargos and handed him a small three by five cream-colored envelope before smiling at him and jetting off to John's locker room. Randy looked at the envelope that was sealed with a black sticker that said, "Keep Out or Die". He laughed at the familiar note and felt the slight bump in the envelope.

He spun his head around and turned his attention back to the monitor where he saw the promo Riz and John were in. They were in a locker room judging by the couch John was sitting on. Riz was straddled on his lap as she cleaned his cuts and wounds with ointment.

_**Riz was sitting on John's lap as she dabbed a wet towel onto the cut on his forehead. He winced as he said, "Damn it, woman, can't you see that it's a fucking wound and not something you can just randomly poke?"**_

_**She frowned at him and started poking his nose. "Well it wouldn't hurt as much if someone had taken care of himself out there!" she said in that irritated way.**_

_**He held her hand and stopped her finger from poking his nose any further. "Aiiite! Aiiite! Chill, Rizzie… I was just, y'know… overreacting…" he said. She nodded and started cleaning his wounds up again. "Hey, Rizzie… Do you find this place very familiar?" he asked.**_

_**She stopped dabbing his wounds. "Well, of course I find it familiar… It is a champion's locker room, right?" she said and raised his newly-earned title belt as they both laughed.**_

"_**Yeah, that and some other thing…" he said. She tilted her head and scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion. "What'cha mean?" she asked.**_

"_**Well… We're in NYC…" he said.**_

"_**Well, good going, Captain Obvious! I think I noticed that myself…" she said. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around her waist as she still straddled his lap. "Well, we're in NYC, the place you debuted… The place we first met… And I remember that it was also the place you were initiated as a diva…" he explained.**_

_**She nodded in realization. "Oh yeah… I remember now… Yeah, it was the first day Steph told me that I had to deal with a lunatic and clean up his wounds after a bloody match!" she said playfully.**_

_**He started tickling her sides and she started laughing as the crowd aaw-ed at the two. Suddenly, a crewman knocked on the door and said, "Ms. Cruz… Your match is up next…" before closing the door after Riz had acknowledged him.**_

"_**Well, I've got to go kick Mickie's psychopath butt again…" she said as she stood up. "You stay here and clean yourself up, 'kay?"**_

_**He nodded. Riz soon left the locker room as the camera shifted to the one outside and previewed her as she walked over to the curtains to enter the ring for her match. She was stretching a little and rolling her head around to let the tensed muscles around her neck ease up a little bit.**_

'_Who's that girl? Lalalalalalalalalalala…'_

Riz stepped out of the curtains and onto the top of the ramp as the crowd went wild after seeing the promo with John. She did a little hip-hop dance to her theme music on top of the ramp as she plastered a smile on her face. The fans cheered for her as she walked down the ramp and slapped some of the fans' outstretched hands. She slipped a little due to the wet sneakers but it was all good.

"**The following match is scheduled for one-fall and it is for the WWE Women's Championship! Introducing first the Number One Contender, from Manila, Philippines… The ABC of the WWE, Riz!"** Lilian announced as Riz climbed into the ring.

She ran around the ring once before standing up on the second turnbuckle in one corner. She plucked her shirt and winked to the crowd just like she would always do. It was just like about any other match. She jumped off the turnbuckle and stood at her corner to await her opponent for the night.

The sound of high-pitched drums echoed throughout the arena as the bright-colored entrance video of Mickie James filled the Titantron. The Women's Champion jumped out onto the top of the ring all hyped up and ready to go. **"Introducing next, from Richmond, Virginia… She is the WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James!"** Lilian introduced again as the Women's Champion dove into the ring and paraded around with her title belt.

Riz cornered herself to the turnbuckle to allow the champion to parade around with her gold. She tried to remember the script for that night. _What would happen again? Oh yeah, I'm supposed to pin Mickie for the count and then I'm going to win so that John and I can be back on top… Then Orton would join the group and we'd all get along and form a stable… Okay… Okay… I got this… Mickie, you're goin' down!_

Riz took off her shirt once Mickie was done parading around. She surrendered her dog tags to the referee and did a quick sign of the cross. She started off with simple shifting her weight on from foot to foot to help her get that second wind running. The bell rang thrice indicating that it was time to unleash hell onto Mickie James.

The two started with a simple grapple in the middle of the ring. Mickie soon got the upper-hand and threw Riz across the ring. Riz countered with a horrifying DDT that would make it's innovator envious. She followed it with a series of back-breakers, springboard bulldog takeovers, DDTs and reverse DDTs, sleeper holds, slaps, chops, kicks and punches.

About half-way into the match, Riz was still in control of a beaten up Mickie. She was about to pull the move that no one had ever seen her to. She was going to jump off the turnbuckle and perform a flying cross-body on Mickie. Now, Riz was never a high-flyer. She didn't jump off the turnbuckles. She just performed all her moves from and onto the canvas. As Mickie was struggling to get up onto her two feet, Riz stepped out onto the apron so that she could climb the turnbuckle.

That was where it all went horribly wrong.

Riz's wet sneakers, remember those? Well, her wet shoes caused her to slip off the apron. She hit the side of her torso hard on the steel steps before she crash landed her head on the ground. She had begun choking and sputtering her own blood as she tried to move herself but she found it hard with the searing pain coursing through her body.

The referee jumped down from the ring and checked up on Riz. He saw that there was a pool of blood beginning to form from where she hit her head. He immediately called for medics and signaled for the bell. **"Ladies and gentlemen, Riz cannot continue this match… So the winner and still your WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James!"** Lilian announced. Mickie's music was playing as she should have been celebrating, but instead, she climbed out of the ring and checked up on Riz.

An unexpected visitor soon came out. Randy Orton. He ran down the ramp and to Riz. He had just changed into his jeans and white shirt when he saw what was happening so he immediately ran out to the ring. He took her now fading figure in his arms as he rubbed the blood off her lips. "No, Riz… Don't you fade away… C'mon, Riz… C'mon… It's gonna be okay… Hang in there…" he kept saying.

The medics were taking so long to come out since there were so many injured superstars tonight. Randy cradled Riz's slowly fading figure in his arms. Then, a fan at ringside asked, "Aren't you two supposed to be fighting?"

Deciding the medics were taking too long, Randy carried Riz bridal style in his arms before turning to the fan and saying, "Right now, we're not meant to be fighting…"

**RAW Houseshow**** – ****December 27, 2007****(Madison Square Gardens, New York)**

The WWE had come back to New York upon the orders of Vince McMahon. He said that he had a very important announcement to make. So, the houseshow had progressed fine at the beginning. There was sensible tension between Randy and John backstage even though the writers already put them together as a tag team, even without Riz there. John had this seething anger for what Randy had done back in the hospital.

There were matches, promos, competitions and just about the usual houseshow was going on. There was taunting and losing of belts, title shots, qualifying matches. Everything. It was just about your typical normal houseshow. Then, at the very end of the show, Vince came out to the crowd and called all the superstars out.

"**Now, I know you all must be wondering why the WWE suddenly came back to New York…"** Vince started. **"Well, there's a very good reason behind that, I promise you, it is a very good reason…"** Standing with him in the ring was Randy, John and Trish who had flown in upon Steph's orders. **"These three in the ring… Do you notice anyone missing?"** Vince asked.

The crowd screamed, "RIZ!"

"**You **_**are**_** a very smart bunch of people, aren't you? Because, as a matter of fact, you're right! Riz is the one missing in this group… As you can see, she had a long rivalry and also a long friendship with Trish Stratus… She was the previous girlfriend and current partner of John Cena… And, you all know that she and Randy Orton have been at it since she started."** Vince said before the crowd screamed.

John took a mic. **"McMahon, could you please get to the bottom of this? I mean, I, personally, I miss Riz already… And you talkin' all this shit out here, man, it's not helping my condition… So, could ya speed it up a lil' bit 'cause I ain't in the best of moods…"** he said. He didn't have his title belt with him.

Randy took one of his, too. **"Yeah, Vince, I could spend this time of mine better than to just stand here talking about that no-good bitch…"** he said. He didn't have his title either.

Trish, in turn, said her piece. **"Vince, with all due respect, we all didn't come out here to just stand here waiting for the 'big news' that you have for us… We came here to hear it… So, if you don't mind?"**

"**Alright, alright… Keep your pants on…"** Vince said. **"The reason I brought you all out here is because I wanted to announce that Riz… will not be coming back to the WWE…"** the crowd and the superstars gasped at his news.

"**What do you mean she's not coming back? Vince, that girl is one of the best divas around!"** Trish reacted.

Vince turned to John and said, **"I believe you know what's going on, am I right, Mr. Cena?"**

John took a deep breath before bringing the mic to his lips and speaking these words: **"I really… I really don't know how to explain this one to y'all 'cause for me… it's still difficult to take in… Riz… Well, yeah, her folks called me up… And… They told me that she won't be comin' back to the WWE…"**

John took a breather as Trish said, **"John… What's going on?"** and her eyes were getting watery.

"**Riz… If y'all remember… had an accident during Armageddon… For the past two weeks, she's been on life support… And… Just 'round… Three hours ago… Her parents… Well…" **he stopped to breathe. **"…They decided to pull the plug…"**

The crowd screamed various things. Some were crying, some were just reacting bad. The divas all began to cry as the superstars looked down to the ground in utter disbelief.

"…**Our dear Riz…"** John said as every word pained him. Tears had began streaking down his face. **"She died of severe head trauma, extreme loss of blood… and… And four of her ribs… Puncturing her lungs… And… limiting her oxygen… She choked on her own blood…"** he said as he stared directly at the other side of the ring canvas without any movement.

Trish brought her hand to her mouth as she gasped in horror. The tears had begun to spring from as eyes as she couldn't afford to even stand up straight. She had to lean on the turnbuckles to support her body which was now about to give away due to the shock.

A ghastly silence overcame the arena as everyone was in a state of shock. Nobody could utter a word as all the superstars bowed their heads to give due respect to the deceased. John couldn't hold it in. He knew he couldn't cry. What the hell? He was the WWE Champion! He shouldn't be crying. But no. No title could ever stop him from showing his emotion upon losing his little sister, his life.

He passed through the ropes and left the ring as he walked back up the ramp and to the backstage. The silence was deafening… until it was broken by a certain superstar who hadn't spoken the whole time.

"**You guys! Hello? It's just Riz! It's no reason to cry! Hell, she's just a girl, you softies! She's just a girl…"** came from the mouth of Randy Orton before he left the ring with the encoring boos of the crowd.

That night, Randy stood on the balcony of his hotel room as he held the letter she had given him in his hand. In the other hand was a key. A key that he knew all to well to be familiar with its every groove. He sat there reading the letter as the events of two weeks ago played in his memory.

**Randy,**

**I know that we don't get along… Hell, before we never even dared to look at each other except for those times when we were mercilessly bickering at each other and 'ruining the fun' of everyone… But you know, I couldn't help but think of that one time when we started to get along… When was it again? Was it when you got injured back in Manila? Yeah… I think that was the time… From that time, Randy, everything began to change for us… There was less fighting, and whenever we **_**did**_** fight, it was playful banter… I don't know, Randy, maybe it was all 'cause you were always there…**

_He carried her all the way up the ramp and he was met backstage by the rushing medics. Randy's once clean white shirt was now partially red from Riz's blood as she struggled to keep conscious. Randy carried her all the way to the always-ready ambulance and didn't even bother passing her to the medics. The shocked look on the crew and roster's faces were far beyond pity._

**I mean, you took me into your own house when I was injured myself and I couldn't thank you enough for that… You never left me alone and you were always there right beside me when I needed you… You always told me never to give up and break all those barriers that were holding me back from whom I really was… You always told me to fight…**

_Randy placed her on the bed inside the ambulance and jumped in with the medics. He held her hand as they closed the doors and rode off to the nearest hospital. The whole time, Randy was whispering, "C'mon, Riz… Fight… You can do it… Don't give up… Fight for it… I need you… C'mon, fight…"_

**You listened to everything I had to say and didn't judge me from my past… You accepted me and pushed me even farther to be the best that I can be… Randy, you gave me new life… Everything I asked you to do, you did it, and I can't help but wonder why… I called you, you came running to me… You never held back when you knew I needed you…**

"…_R…Randy…" her now raspy voice said as soft tears began to flow down her face. "I… I need you… to… do something… for me…" she said through ragged breaths._

**You gave me everything, Randy… From the necklace and the outfit you gave me during the party, to everything else… I don't know why but you always seem to know what's going on in this crazy little head of mine… Before, Nate always used to be the one who would come running and helping me but then… But then, Randy… Then there was you…**

"_Anything… Name it, Riz… Anything…" he said as he fought back his own tears._

"_Kiss me." Her order slipped through her lips. "Just do it, R-Randy… Ki…" she didn't need to say anything more as Randy connected his lips with hers. There were fireworks everywhere as they shared the connection nobody else could understand._

**You protected me from life's harms and you kept me going… It was like magic… I mean, I thought I couldn't live again after I lost the one man I loved but… You… You just brought me back to life… You were the man who told me it was alright to cry and let someone in… And I let you in… And it was one of the best things that had ever happened to me… I didn't regret doing that…**

_But then, since Riz was having a hard time breathing, Randy had to pull away quickly. There was a soft trail of her blood on the side of his lips as he held her hand tighter. Now, the tears weren't going to be held back anymore. He let one single tear fall down and drop onto her hand which he kissed. "C'mon, Riz… Don't give up… I'll protect you… I promise… Please…" he started saying._

**Yeah… I know… I'm babbling on about useless stuff here… I'm not even sure if I'm making sense 'cause I don't know… If I wanted to say what I really wanted to say, then Randy, I wouldn't know what to say to you… I wouldn't know what else I could do to repay you for everything…**

**Most girls, pretty much like myself, they say they want that fairytale… That knight in his shining armor and on a white horse… They say they want a dream come true… Well, thanks to you, I got that dream come true… I still remember the plane ride we had earlier… You were talking about fairytales when we were having fun with a game of thumb war… Which, I think, is much more fun than any fairytale… But I… I don't know how you did it, whether subconsciously or whatever but you made the 'real' fairytale I've always wanted come true… You freed me… And that's the bottom line… You gave me the fairytale I've always wanted since I was a little girl… And I can't imagine living it again and again without you in it… **

_Riz lifted her hand up and caressed the side of his face. "T-this is how… We end the fairytale…" she said before consciousness left her and the medics panicked. They connected her to the oxygen tank as they tried to analyze what was wrong._

_Soon, the ambulance stopped at the hospital as the medics wheeled an unconscious Riz into the hospital while being followed by a distraught Randy. The rushed her into the operating room as Randy was stopped at the door by the doctor saying, "I'm sorry, sir, but you cannot go in…"_

**You always watched me from afar and made sure nobody got their hands on me just like what happened back when I was college… You never let me out of your sight unless I was with John, don't you think I noticed that? You were always there… You never left my side…**

_He merely nodded and watched from the small window at the door. They watched them take her shirt off and inspect the wounds on her chest. Soon, the medics were rushing around and connecting tubes to her frail body. There was the pulse monitor beside her and the wires connected to her body were innumerable._

**I live this life of mine in the service of others, Randy… I live everyday as a sign that there's someone out there who needs me…**

_Randy watched on as the hooked her onto life support and plugged all the immense machines into her. There were stitched being sewn there and knives being placed onto her body here. The sight was pure red as Riz's blood was continually spilling onto the uniforms of the doctors and nurses attending to her. He heard them screaming, "Damn it! Move faster!"_

**I take care of everyone I see who's in need… I live off everyone's happiness and smiles… Remember New York, Randy? The place you first screwed with my head… Haha… Don't worry, I don't take any of that against you… But, you know, I gave you the snowglobe a couple of years ago so that you'd always remember New York… It's a place of many firsts for me… **

_He felt a sudden tap on his back and he spun around to see John standing there with a flushed face. "What happened to her, man? What's goin' on in there? Is she gonna be aiiite? I had to run all the way here since my damn car decided to break down…" John said through his deep breaths. Randy just walked away and sat on one of the couches in the waiting room._

**You're a great guy. Randy… Don't let anyone tell you different… Don't let anyone tarnish your name… Don't let anyone hold you back and bring you down… As long as you know you can do it, go for it and believe in yourself… Don't wait for time to take opportunities away… Say everything you want to say and do everything you want to do 'cause I don't want you to make the same mistake I did… When I forgot to say something to you…**

_Ten hours had gone by as John and Randy sat there in the hospital's waiting room. Randy's shirt was still drenched in crimson blood as John's face was still rather messed up. They sat there as they awaited the final results of Riz's injuries._

**Even as a young girl, I've always believed that everything happens for a reason… Whether it be good or bad, everything does really happen for a reason… That's why I know why you happened to me… 'Cause we needed each other… I needed someone to confide in and you needed someone to take care of you… So it's fair… Am I even making sense here?**

_John muttered loud enough for Randy to hear, "This shouldn't have happened… She shouldn't be here… I know she never wanted this to happen…"_

**You don't have to block out the emotions, Randy… Like you told me, ****you can't be invincible all the time****… You have to let someone in one day and let that someone help you… Don't let yourself be led on by false wishes and wants… You should know what you really want and what you should really fight for…**

_Randy stood up, looked down at John and smirked. He lifted his right eyebrow and said, "Look, John, she never wanted this to happen, so what?" in that cocky and arrogant tone. "…Whoever said I cared? I know I got what I wanted…" he said before walking away. While he was walking, with the pad of his thumb he wiped Riz's blood off the corner of his lips and smirked to himself. _

_Yeah. He got what he wanted._

**I'm always here for you… Like I've always been… You maybe just didn't see me as the type of girl who would always be there… I promise you, 'til death do us part… Oh wait, I don't think even death can.**

Randy held the key in his hands as he progressed on to reading what she wrote.

**I leave this key with you, Randy… It's the key to all my memories… Keep Out or Die, remember? I don't need the keychain to keep guard of all my cherished memoirs anymore… I have you… I trust you… You're the only one who knows about that stuff, and I hope you put that knowledge to good use… Haha… Well, this is where I end… Hopefully, I got my message through… Oh, I have a gift for you… but you have to wait… It's a surprise…**

**Yours truly, Riz.**

**P.S. I still don't like you.**

_Stop being so stubborn, Randy! You don't have to be strong all the time… You can be weak… You can show emotion… Just this once…_ Randy told himself as he let one single tear slide down his cheek and drop to the key in his hand.

* * *

**Thanks to all those who reviewed. Techwiz and sweetcandyfun. hahaha. Well, hope you had fun reading this story. This is the second to the last chapter so... I'm hoping more people would review.**

**It took me a great deal to write this. Haha. Yeah, I had a lot of fun. Thanks to y'all!**

**-_veracruzortongal_**


	15. Never

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

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Chapter Fourteen: Never 

_Randy sat there in the middle of Riz's treasured memories as he scanned each and every CD that was hidden beneath the dresses. He looked around him and he didn't know what he should do. He walked farther into the room as he noticed that the lovely pink skating dress on the mannequin and the wedding gown were gone. All was left on the mannequin were the medal and the skates at the foot of it._

_He looked around some more and scanned every trophy and plaque. He ran his fingers through the plated gold that said: 'Kid's Division Figure Skating Champion of 1987'; 'Teen Women's Division Champion of 1996'; 'Ms. Princess of the Ice 1997'; 'Best Skater of 1995'; 'United States Teens' Figure Skating Champion of 1997'; and many more. He noticed that all of these awards were for skating. Those couldn't be the only awards she had, right? Suddenly, a light bulb appeared on top of his head as he ran out of the closet, down the first flight of stairs and onto the landing. He turned to face the other flight of stairs heading to the room which was kept dark._

_He stepped up the two steps precariously before he reached out and turned on the lights. To his left was another staircase heading up to what he knew was the roof deck of this big house. He walked in further and there, more twinkling caught his eyes as he came across a gigantic collection of plaques and trophies again. He walked closer and his eyes grew wide at the sight. More trophies and awards were there. 'Mathematics Quiz Bee Champion SY '93-'94'; 'Mathica Genius of SY '94-'95'; 'Graduating Batch of '94 Best in Mathematics: Ann Laurice Cruz'; 'Teacher of the Year 2000'; and the list goes in._

_There was more to Riz than Randy could ever know about. There were more secrets that she kept from the world and refused to let anyone know about. He looked around him some more and realized he made a slight mistake when he hurt Riz so much in the past. Who was he kidding? Slight? More of like severe._

_Randy stood there in front of Riz's life as he scanned every single thing that had transpired in the past two years. Every memory of Riz flashed in his mind as he felt so unsure of himself. What was it that held him back? Why didn't he say it out loud and straight? Why did the Legend Killer have to stop midway and chicken out in the end?_

**RAW Special Edition:****To The ABC of the WWE**** - ****January 1, 2008****(Madison Square Gardens, New York)**

Tension filled the air as the crowd gathered on this special day. They had each bought tickets to offer their own due respect to the girl who lived her life especially for them. Tonight was the night they were going to give Riz one of the best shows ever dedicated to her. It was the night Vince McMahon reserved especially for one of his best divas. Why tonight? Well, tonight was January 1, 2008…

Riz's 27th Birthday.

The show kicked off with various superstars saying their piece. Some did it in groups while others offered to do it alone. There were some guys who offered bouquets of roses or daisies and they would put them beside the picture of Riz standing on the right side of the stage. What picture was that? Well, it was one of her 'model pictures'. Simple head and shoulder shot with her looking straight at the camera with her straight hair being blown back. She had the killer smile on her face that would make guys melt.

Now, it was time for Riz's close diva friends to do their part. They wanted to do it in a group since it would have a stronger meaning and they would show Riz just how solid their friendship was even if she was up there already. Out came Torrie, Ashley, Trish, Stacy, Lilian, Mickie and Maria as they sang 'Circle of Life'.

_**From the day we arrive on the planet  
And blinking, step into the sun  
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen  
More to do than can ever be done **_

Some say eat or be eaten  
Some say live and let live  
But all are agreed as they join the stampede  
You should never take more than you give

(Chorus)  
In the Circle of Life  
It's the wheel of fortune  
It's the leap of faith  
It's the band of hope  
Till we find our place  
On the path unwinding  
In the Circle, the Circle of Life

Some of us fall by the wayside  
And some of us soar to the stars  
And some of us sail through our troubles  
And some have to live with the scars

There's far too much to take in here  
More to find than can ever be found  
But the sun rolling high  
Through the sapphire sky  
Keeps the great and small on the endless round

(Chorus repeats)

On the path unwinding  
In the Circle, the Circle of Life...  
Oh, oh, oh! 

"**Riz was like the person who knew us all so well…"** Maria started. **"She could always tell when we were sad, depressed or down… Whenever we had problems she would always help us and afterwards, she'd try to make us all feel better with her corny jokes and novelty dances… She always found away to bring a smile to our faces even if she was having a bad day herself…"**

"**Whenever we had wardrobe malfunctions, she'd always be there with a needle and thread for those last-minute repairs…"** Stacy said. **"She always found a way and made use of everything she could get her hands on… She found those little ways to make our days a little lighter and a little brighter… With every joke she cracked and with every funny thing she pulled off, she was always the clown among us…"**

"**This little girl is the perfect example of small but terrible…"** Mickie said. **"Yeah, we always teased her about her height but she always laughed along with us and didn't take any grudges… She always knew how to play along, be a kid and simply have fun no matter what happens… She knew what was a joke from what was personal…"**

"**I remember back around a year or so…"** Torrie related. **"I had a bad case of the colds and I was really weary… She sat by me in my hotel room and she stayed there until I felt better again… She took care of me… Of us… When one was sick, she was always there playing nurse or even rushing us to the hospital when the need be… She was like a girl who never failed to come running to you when there was something going wrong…"**

"**She loved to sing, that's one thing for sure…"** Lilian said. **"She and I would often sing duets backstage subconsciously and everyone would end up listening… Oh, how she always blushed when she realized people were looking at her and she was singing out loud… She had one of the prettiest voices I could ever imagine… She was like… Like an angel… Her voice was always calm and soothing… And whenever one of us would be crying, she would be there to sing a nice song to calm our nerves… Karaoke night was always a blast… Girls' night out was always fun with her always playing around and pranking some of the superstars at our expense… She never failed to cheer us up…"**

"**This girl… She's probably one of the most unique women I have ever met…"** Ashley began.** "She already had that hip-hop touch and yet she can be quite a punk rocker, too… We would blast out singing Headstrong by Trapt inside the locker room and send all the other divas crazy… We would exchange iPods and share songs… She was always my partner-in-crime when it came to pranks because this girl is ingenious with those… She can pull a prank off without a hitch, whether it be paint balloons or putting worms inside the guys' wrestling trunks… She was always a fun person to be around… She never let us down… She was always there and she took responsibility for everything she did… Did I mention that this girl was talented? I mean, she could play like the electric guitar, drums, piano… And she could sing and dance, too… She was… She was just the girl who always had the heart to be on stage…"**

"**Riz… What is there else to say when these people over here have practically said everything?"** Trish said with a slight laugh. **"Riz, well, she's the little girl in me… I can really see myself in her… I mean, before, I also used to be as crazy as her… I always jumped around and simply went around carefree… But, if there's one thing I would compare Riz to… It would be snow… 'Cause like snow, she's an angel that just magically falls from the sky and ends up on our doorstep with a big bright smile… She came here to entertain the kids and the kids-at-heart, pretty much like most of us out here… People love her and she's always sitting around, looking bright and cheery and making everyone smile… And yeah, one day, she melts… She disappears… But you know, she leaves us with some of the best memories we've ever had in our lives… She always gave us that simple smile that would brighten anyone's day… She was like my little sister… She would let me play with her hair sometimes and she would allow me to experiment different styles of make-up on her face even though she hated it… She always thought of others before herself… Never with the I… She never just thought of herself with no regards to others… She, I mean, she… She was like someone who would be ready with a hammer and nail in case your heel broke; the one with a portable DVD player in case you were bored; the one who had a five-dollar bill in case your car broke down and you need to take a cab… She was… She was just Riz in our hearts… The very same girl who livens up any dark place…"**

"**So from the bottom of our hearts…" **said Stacy.

"…**We say that we miss you, Riz…"** Torrie continued.

"…**You were the best friend we could all wish for…"** Mickie continued.

"…**And you always made us smile…"** Maria followed.

"…**We'll never forget you, Riz… We hope you know that…"** Lilian said.

"…**You'll always be in our hearts no matter what happens…"** Ashley said.

"…**And… To one of the most amazing Women's Champion ever…"** Trish said.

"**Happy Birthday, Riz…"** they all chorused.

Trish raised the WWE Women's Championship over her head. On the name plate was none other than Riz's name. **"You'll always be the champion in our hearts… We love you…"** Trish closed as the tears fell from her eyes and a smile crawled onto her angelic face. The rest of the girls chorused their 'We love you' before they all exited the ring.

Next up was John Cena. Now, before, around the time that Riz came into the WWE, John always used to come out to an exhilarating crowd and rap something mean to his opponent for the night or just someone whom he had a slight grudge on. Tonight was different. He wasn't rapping it out for the sake of hurting somebody. He was doing it out of love. Brotherly love.

John came out and the fans were shocked at his state. There were bags under his eyes which were slightly red and puffed. There was a frown on his face and he just wasn't really in the most cheerful of moods. On his body was a black jersey with Riz's name on the back and the jersey's number was 27. He wore Riz's dog tags, the one which he gave to her on her first day. The referee had decided to give it to him since Riz had surrendered it to him before her match. To and upbeat but sentí rhythm he started rapping as pictures flashed on the Titantron.

"**It was five years ago in this very same arena… I met this lil' girl who became a lil' diva… We became tight, y'know; I played with her everyday… Every time we'd meet, she'd have something funny to say…" **John began. **"I cared for her, she was like my lil' sister… I fixed her hair and acted like her big ol' brother…"**

There were pictures flashing on the Titantron. Some of John and Riz back when they still had their romance storyline and some of them just being their normal selves on a boring day. **"Some guys backstage, say I'm head over heels, say they don't know how it feels, how this lil' girl steals, my sight and my heart, but I say to them, she gave me a start, she always made me smile, and everyone's wonderin' where I'm at, and I was with her all the while…"** he continued.

"**She was like my little baby, I couldn't leave her behind, I took her everywhere with me and I was with her all the time. The girls backstage, they flipped and they screamed. They thought she was the best thing to ever happen to me. And they're right, this lil' girl, she changed me a lot. I ain't kiddin' y'all but she taught me to be smart…" **he rapped on. On the Titantron, there were now pictures of John and Riz giving noogies to each other; the two of them fighting with water guns; them playing PS2 'til dawn and everything else.

Soon, pictures of John's title wins came onto the screen. In every picture, Riz was always there with a congratulations hug or kiss. **"She was the reason behind my wins; she always stood there by my side. That's why I told y'all a while ago, I couldn't leave her behind. She was my lucky charm, the girl behind the scenes, the girl behind the wins, that's how much she means to me. I can't live without her, she's the reason I exist, she shows me all the things I used to miss…"** he continued on.

"**After every fight, she'd always be there with a band-aid, and she'd tell me it's alright, tell me not to be afraid. She told me I could do it and to always give my best, to always give my all and God would do the rest…"** he said. The pictures soon shifted to Riz putting bandages on John's small wounds and her giving him the thumbs up.

"**She'd always fix my tie whenever there's a party, she'd always have me looking sharp, never like I just woke up. She'd jump 'round with me when nobody else would, to do that, for me, it's a must and a should. It was fun doing it, hey, that's why I did it…"** he rapped on as he held back the tears and tried to stop his voice from breaking.

"**She's a gal to keep around, never throw her to the curb, I can't live without her, she's my girl, my world. Right now, I've only got three things to say… Shoulda, coulda, woulda… Should've told you just how special you are, could've said thanks since you've been there from the start, would've hugged you, and kissed you, and tell you I care… I would've said how much I wanted to be there. But some things happen without a reason, some things happen at the wrong season. I would've just accepted it and learned to move on, but hey, you were my girl, my world, my little sister, I can't forget you just like a lame old song…"** he started to get so emotional that he couldn't hold the tears back anymore. They fell one by one as he continued his rap and the pictures kept showing.

"**I never took the time to say something to you, Riz… You're my girl, my world… and I love you, lil sis…" **John said as he finally looked straight at the crowd and bit his lips. He looked up to the sky and said, **"I really do…"**

He brought the mic up to his lips as the rhythm faded away. He refused to meet the crowd's eyes or even the camera as he spoke the words: **"Riz was a special girl… Some said, it was wrong for me to play with the little girl's pigtails when she first came to the WWE 'cause it would make her feel to comfortable 'round here… But I didn't listen to them…"**

"**From the moment I met her, I knew we would click… She had this happy aura to her that would just drag anybody to her… She happy, fun, hyper, and all those other words you could have 'Riz' as a meaning… Every time I would have a bloody match, she would clean me up and bring me to the doc so that I could get medical attention…"**

"**When I was sick and I needed some help, she took me into her care and made sure I was back on track immediately… She never failed to give me that TLC that only a sister could give… Growin' up, I never had a sister… It was just always my dad and five boys… So when Riz just suddenly popped into the picture, she… She completed me in that weird twisted ol' way that I can't explain…"**

"**The title belts y'all give me… Those, right now, they seem so useless… Those belts were meant to make me feel like I'm the greatest person in the world… Riz, she makes me feel like I'm the greatest of the great whenever she's around and always making me feel that she's there… She's the girl who always made me feel so good about myself and that I have a reason to keep goin' in every match and waking up every mornin'… She's the reason I go out to every crowd every show and the reason I live my life…"**

"**This jersey I'm wearing now… Hah… You'd pro'lly all think that I just wore this 'cause Riz is turning twenty-seven today… Well, that's part of the reason… The other part is that twenty-seven was Riz's favorite number… 'Cause y'all know that my jersey number is fifty-four… Well, Riz always wore twenty-seven 'cause it was like, she was part of me, y'know… With her being a Math geek, she said fifty-four divided by two is twenty-seven so that… I never really got that crap but it made sense to me that time… It made sense…"**

"**I don't know how else I could go on saying this stuff 'bout Riz… 'Cause I can't stand thinking 'bout her and realizing she ain't there anymore… So to leave y'all with a bottom line…"**

"**I love Riz in that unconditional way that nobody would ever understand… She's like a part of me already… Rizzie wizzie…"** he looked up. **"I know you're listenin'… Just want you to know that I'll never forget you… You'll always have that big part of my heart… Happy Birthday…"** With that, John kissed his right index and middle finger before pointing up to the sky.

He punched hard on his chest, the action indicating that he meant what he had said from the heart. With that, he left the stage and went backstage where his tears continued to fall from his eyes. He walked straight to his champion's locker room and locked himself in there for the rest of the night.

Finally, Randy came out onstage. He was the last one tonight since he had requested it, for some odd reason. The letter probably had a weird effect on him. He stepped out to no music as the crowd continuously booed him for what he did during the last RAW house show when he just walked out and told them it was useless to cry over Riz. He was wearing the normal black dress pants and shoes and, what noticeably was, the shirt the Cruz's gave him the time he spent Christmas there, the white shirt that had 'Greatness' on it.

He got into the ring as he looked around the crowd. Some were screaming profanities and others were giving him the finger. All in all, he knew they hated him. He didn't smile once since he'd been out here. He brought his index finger to his lips as a symbol for them to hush. And they did. He pointed to the Titantron as a video started to play and the lights in the arena dimmed to a pink hue.

_**You don't run with crowd  
You go your own way  
You don't play after dark  
You light up my day  
Got your own kind of style  
That sets you apart  
Baby that's why you captured my heart **_

**Videos of Riz during her photo shoots and autograph signings showed all throughout the first verse of the song. There were parts when she was walking around the streets of California and there was a photographer taking her pictures. There were some of her posing for the covers of Maxim, Flex and other magazines which included Candy and K-Zone for the teens and kids.**

_**I know sometimes you feel  
Like you don't fit in  
And this world doesn't know  
What you have within  
When I look at you  
I see something rare  
A rose that can grow anywhere  
And there's no one I know that can compare **_

**Second verse came rolling in and now came the videos of her inside the ring. Her first few matches to her title runs and her rivalries with various divas. There were her promos with either John or Trish or any other superstar. Her romance angle with John and their matches together were shown, including her debut on RAW right there in Madison Square Gardens. There were also clips from 100 Degrees.**

_**What makes you different  
Makes you beautiful  
What's there inside you  
Shines through to me  
In your eyes I see  
All the love I'll ever need  
What makes you different  
Makes you beautiful to me**_

**As the first line of 'What makes you different…' played, it showed a video of Riz lifting the Women's Championship above her head for the very first time. Then, videos of her different title wins showed and her pay-per-view matches were exhibited in different ways. Her long-time rivalries with Trish were shown and the time when she first won the championship from Victoria was shown, too. Her finisher and set-up moves were in the video, as well as her entrance with the pluck of the shirt and wink to the crowd. Her sign of the cross and the surrender of the dog tags were also aired.**

_**You got something so real  
You've touched me so deep  
You see material things  
Don't matter to me  
So come as you are  
You've got nothing to prove  
You won me with all that you do  
And I wanna take this chance to say to you**_

**Videos of her with all of the divas as they laughed backstage began to fill the screen. There were also videos of Riz jumping on John's back for a piggy-back ride around the backstage. There was some of her fiddling with the camera crew's equipment under their supervision of course. There were also some clips of her fooling around with Matt and Channing during breaks from their shootings and her laughing it out with Angelina and Tia.**

_**What makes you different  
Makes you beautiful  
What's there inside you  
Shines through to me  
In your eyes I see  
All the love I'll ever need  
What makes you different  
Makes you beautiful to me**_

**There were also some of her and Lilian singing it out near the curtain area before a show. Some showed Riz and Stacy dancing it out backstage. There was a final video before the chorus that showed Riz doing the sign of the cross before going out through the curtains. And then, the screen kiss between Riz and John was aired also the screen kiss between Riz and Chad for the movie.**

_**You don't know  
How you touch my life  
Oh in so many ways  
I just can't describe  
You taught me what love  
Is supposed to be  
It's all the little things  
That make you beautiful to me **_

**There was the video of Riz cooking food at home during the Christmas party Trish, John, Randy and her had. After that was a video of her feeding Randy in bed and making sure he was alright. There was also a video of her sliding Randy's shirt onto his body even with his cast on, followed by the video of her and Randy laughing on those rare moments and the charity work and orphanage visits that she went on in the United States and Philippines.**

_**What makes you different  
Makes you beautiful  
What's there inside you  
Shines through to me  
In your eyes I see  
All the love I'll ever need  
What makes you different  
Makes you beautiful to me**_

**The next videos were of her skating. Her training on the ice at least five hours a day before every competition. Her little dances on the ice and all her mini-challenges. Her first triple lutz and camel spin when she was five. Her first competition when she was six. Her first national competition during when she was twelve was also shown. There was also the Philippine Olympics she was talking about when she was eighteen and skating to You First Believed. Clips of her running around the snow with John and Randy were aired. There was also the time when Randy reserved the whole skating rink for her back in St. Louis. They were laughing and having fun.**

You're beautiful to me… 

**The last few videos showed nothing more than Riz placing a tender kiss on Randy's forehead and her caressing his hair as he lay down on the bed looking so beaten up. The last video was of Riz looking straight at the camera during a filming of 100 Degrees before she winked and smiled.**

The video faded away from the Titantron as the lights remained the same but only grew brighter and with white light. The crowd was crying after the movie as Randy just stood there in the ring trying to manage his own emotions. He looked up as the crowd followed his sight and there was suddenly fake snow coming down from the roof. It was raining fake snow onto them as they all wondered what was happening.

Randy took a mic and put it to his lips as he said, **"You all might be wondering why the hell I'm doing all of this… Hell, I shouldn't be doing anything special… She's just a girl… Yeah, just a girl… I-"**

But his little speech was then interrupted when Vince McMahon came out on the Titantron. **"Orton, before you say anything else to brainwash this crowd about Riz… I think you may want to watch this little message from a certain diva…"** he said before the picture suddenly faded into a video of Riz.

The crowd cheered at the sight of her as she smiled and waved to the crowd in the video. Randy noticed something about her; about what she was wearing. He noticed the same Harvard USA shirt that she wore before Armageddon. Her hair was also down and falling straight on the sides of her face.

"_**Hey guys…" Riz said with a simple smile. "Uhm… Right now, I just got to the arena from a taping and yes my sneakers are still wet from that… What taping was that, well, I'll explain that to you guys later… For now, since I still have some time before I have to go and probably fix up John's cuts and bruises after his match, I want to tell you guys something that… I just couldn't have enough courage to say up straight… I know, weird, but it just goes with who I am…"**_

"_**I've been in this business for what? Like five years already and I wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for you guys… You WWE fans out there… You guys are one of the prime reasons that I fly from country to country and put on an amazing show… Without you, I probably won't be here right now… I mean, six-time Women's Champion! If I win my match tonight, I'm going to be a seven-time champion! And that's in the league of Trish Stratus! I mean, wow! I can't believe that, y'know; you guys have been there all the way…"**_

"_**So, to all the WWE fans, whether you're a fan of me of not, I extend my heartfelt gratitude… You supported me even though some said I am of inferior race… And to all the fans in NYC! You guys are absolutely amazing… I couldn't have found a better crowd to debut in compared to you guys… To all my hometown fans, I love you all and thank you, too…"**_

"_**Next message is to the whole WWE roster and the camera crews and all those other people who work in the WWE… You've been the best second family I could ever ask for… And I'm really grateful that you guys took me in as one of your own, you helped me and you made each and every one of my days another reason why I have to live in this world…I know, cheesy clichés but it's the truth!"**_

"_**Special mention to my little band of midgets… Nah, they're not midgets, they're actually taller than I am… Haha… Well, to Torrie, Stacy, Lilian, Mickie, Maria, Ashley and Trish… You gals are the best and I love you girlies to death! Even if you continuously bug me about how I should wear skirts, well, I still love you guys! Torrie, thanks for helping me when it came to fashion… Stace, those times when we danced out hearts out, I'll never forget those… Lil, you're my fellow singing enthusiast… The times when we sang and when you helped me vocalize for the recording of the soundtrack of my movie, those will always be in my heart, girl… Mickie, everyday when you'd help me prepare for the matches, those were some of the most fun times I've ever had though it sometimes hurt my back… Maria, there's just something about your brightness that makes me smile everyday… I mean, you're always bouncy and all so I feel like bouncing, too, sometimes! As for Asherz, well, hopefully we'll continue singing inside the locker room for everyone to go crazy and hit us with their shoes… You're one of my best friends, punkie… And as for Trisha, the absolute best mentor ever in the world, I love you to death and everything you did for me, everything you're doing for me, well, I can't say thanks enough… I never really got to say that I love you guys…"**_

_**Riz wiped the tears that were slowly dripping from her eyes. "…And, for one of the most special people in my life… John… John, you've been there from my very first day in the WWE up 'til every single one of my matches and until now, you're still here… I can't really tell you how grateful I am for those little moments we spent backstage and the little gifts you'd give me for my birthday and on special occasions… When you'd give me a stuffed bear for absolutely no reason at all and when you'd treat me to McDonald's for breakfast when we had the time… Those were the moments and the times that I'd never forget… I never had a big brother, just a lil' bro who's your biggest fan actually… Haha…And, you've been like the big brother who was always there and never failed to ask me what was wrong… You remained firm even when I was having mood swings and I was being totally irrational with life… You never really pushed me away and you just kept me going until it was all alright again… Whenever we're apart you'd call me every five damn minutes and ask me how I am and what I'm doing… You always made me laugh and backed me up in whatever I was going to do whether it be fight a psychopath for the Women's title or jump off a bridge… Well, maybe not the whole bridge thing but I know you'd be down there at the bottom to catch me… Bottom line of this all, John, I… I love you, big bro… You're one of the most special people in my life and I can't bear to lose you…" she wiped the tears from her face.**_

"_**Last but not the least, Randy… Yeah, I know, I'm giving a message to the guy who made my life a living hell and tortured me every single damn day of my life…Well, for you, Orton, Randy or whatever else name I could call you… I've said just about everything… I've said how much I hated you and how much I despise every bone in your body… I've said how much of a playboy you are and how you're so cocky and arrogant about everything… I've said about how you're vainer than all the divas in the WWE put together… I've said how you are a son of a bitch who doesn't deserve anyone's time of day… I've said everything! From your hair to your clothes to your shoes to your personality… But I forgot to say some things… I never got to say how much of a fool any woman is to even fall in love with you… All those times I said that I still don't like you? Well, let's just say I never really passed through 'like'… Oh, and I made you something, Randy… Remember those times when I would sit in one corner and write inside a notebook? Well, yeah, I wrote this… 'Cause these are the things I would never really get to say…I would never really get to express in front of you since… I don't know… I was too chicken to do so…"**_

_**Then, a music video started playing on the Titantron as everyone's attention was glued onto the screen. The title was 'Never' and it was written, composed and sung by Riz.**_

_**So, I took myself and his from the rest of the world**_

_**Didn't want anyone else to see who I was**_

_**I didn't see where I was going, I just kept on laughing**_

_**Pretending it was all okay**_

_**But then I saw you that fateful day**_

_**I acted all strong and pretended I was tough**_

_**Never let anyone in; never let anyone see what was wrong**_

_**I couldn't help but glare at you, and push you away**_

_**Couldn't stand to let you see I was weak**_

_**I never got to say how you always made me smile;**_

_**How you always made my day; how you balanced my life**_

_**I never got to say how much I wanted you to be mine;**_

_**How I wanted to kiss you; how I wanted to show you divine**_

_**I always kept it inside, always wished from afar**_

'_**Cause I though I needed to be invincible**_

_**I took these walls and put them up 'round me**_

_**I could walk out but you couldn't walk it**_

_**And thought this war between us never seemed to end**_

'_**Round the bend, 'round that corner, you'll see me cryin'**_

'_**Cause I never got to say how you always made me smile;**_

_**How you always made my day; how you balanced my life**_

_**I never got to say how much I wanted you to be mine;**_

_**How I wanted to kiss you; how I wanted to show you divine**_

_**I always kept it inside, always wished from afar**_

'_**Cause I though I needed to be invincible**_

_**The time came when I finally had the chance**_

_**But then I let it slip through my fingers**_

_**Like the pain slipping through my heart**_

_**I can't believe I gave you up for this lonely life of mine**_

_**Even if I knew I needed you**_

_**I never got say how you always made me feel like a star**_

_**How you made me special even when we were at war**_

_**I never got to say how much I really cared for you**_

_**Despite all the hurt and pain we've been through**_

_**I never let it out, never dared to try**_

_**I was never invincible, I was never bulletproof**_

_**I was never all that strong just realizing**_

…_**That I never got to say I love you…**_

_**The video was a mix of Riz singing and various moments like her sitting on the seats around an ice-skating rink and simply looking out to the thin air. There were some of her sitting inside the locker room and scribbling on a notebook as random people passed her by. Some were of her sitting on the equipment crates and fixing her wristbands before a match. There were some of her skating on the ice to the same rhythm of the song as she wore the ice skates Randy gave her. Added to those were clips of her sitting in her room and staring out the window as the rain fell down before she finally stood up and walked away. There was also a couple of a masquerade ball and Riz was wearing the wedding gown she was supposed to wear years ago. Her hair was up and there was a mask hiding her eyes. All of those mixed together, that was one dramatic music video.**_

"_**So, you see, Randy… I'm a fool if I'm a fool 'cause… Like the song says… I never got to say I love you..." she said before she left her seat and the Titantron went back to Vince.**_

"**So, Riz had that sent to me after Armageddon… She wanted the whole world to see it… And I think the better message is for you, Randy… So stop saying that she's just a girl… She's a special girl to all of us… She's the ABC of the WWE, Orton… Without her, this business won't be as great as it is already…"** Vince said before he went off-air.

The crowd cheered Vince on as they all shifted their attention to Randy. He was standing there with a cocky smirk now on his face. **"You see, the problem with all of your people is you judge too quickly without trying to understand what the hell I'm trying to say, you get what I mean?"** he said as the crowd booed him on.

"**Now, disregarding all that Vince said… Here, I did this, you know, with the lights and the snow and the video and all because I know I shouldn't be doing anything special… Like I said, she's just a girl… But hear this; did you all know that Riz loved snow? Every time she'd see it her eyes would light up like poof and then she'd go and play in the snow… And the reason for the pink lights here… Is this…"** Randy said as he showed to them the snow globe Riz had given him.

"**This snow globe of New York was given to me by Riz during the Christmas that I was out on injury… This was, according to her, her first snow globe… And she loved this thing so much… For her to be giving this to me, I'm sure I'm someone pretty special…"** he boasted. He handed the snow globe to one of the crewmen outside the ring. **"I'm going to set this aside for a moment here… You scratch this thing and I will scratch your face off your head…" **he said to the crewman who nodded in fear.

"**Now, I know you all love Riz… Who wouldn't? I mean… She's like a people's champion or whatnot… And so, she said her piece earlier so I'm going to get to the bottom line of why the hell I'm even out here… Riz, you made it clear that you hate me and my guts and of course my gorgeous face… That was before… I knew that one day, you'd also fall for the Legend Killer…"** he said cockily as the crowd booed.

"**Now, you guys shut up… You know, earlier, when you people kept judging me by what I'm trying to say… Well, here's the catch… I won't do anything special for her 'cause special is never enough for her… It's not good enough… Special is not good enough… And as for she's just a girl thing… Yes, she's just a girl… Just a girl that I've seen as someone who is the one to complement me…"**

"**Do you all know the quote, 'The persona is different from the person'?"** the crowd screamed. **"Well, it applies here… You see guys, Riz, sometimes she plays a tough lil' missy for you all to enjoy and sometimes she plays the gangster that John Cena had molded… That was the personification of what she was trying to be!"**

"**That video I made for Riz, that showed you guys the Riz we see in the ring and on screen, the Riz us superstars know backstage and the Riz I got to know on a personal note and I got to spend time with… **

"**She's proven to you guys time and time again that nobody would ever bring her down and she would never be seen weak! **

"**But I've seen her in her weakest of states and trust me, it'll make you see how much she's been through as you discover why she became the one we all know today…"**

"**But her greatest weakness was this… You fell for me, Riz, admit it… Well, I think you just did… But anyways… You love me and that's the bottom line…"**

"**You're a fool, you called yourself one and you said that yourself… But here's the thing, Riz, if you're a fool then I'm a fool, too… If you're weak, then I'm weak, too… You wanna know why? "** he said as his face grew serious. **"… 'Cause like you, Riz, I'm not all that strong just realizing that…"**

"…**I never got to say I love you, too…"**

_Most girls say they want a fairytale, but you taught me that it's not what I really want. I want someone who will make fun of me and laugh at my jokes even if they aren't funny; someone who wrestles with me and doesn't let me win just 'cause I'm a girl. Yeah, riding off into the sunset on a white horse would be nice, but playing thumb war with you seems so much better._

_

* * *

_

**LAST CHAPTER.**

**Damn, I'm really hating to see this end like this. But yeah, you can't keep changing a story's plot right? Well, here's the little info on this: there might be a sequel. It might be more on Randy. So, if you want a sequel, say so and I'll post an epilogue after our finals. (smile)**

**Thanks to the 4 people who reviewed and to all who read the previous chapter. For this one, kindly read, review and vote whether or not it'll be continued. The sequel, if there will be, will be sweet. I promise. I've got some ideas already. Haha.**

**So, it gives me great pleasure to have taken you on this rollercoaster ride of a story. Thank you for your support and continuous reading of my works.**

**Hope to see your reviews in other stories of mine!**

**-_veracruzortongal_**


	16. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own any WWE Superstar in this story. The personas/gimmicks belong to the WWE. The actual persons belong to their respective selves. Any brand/logo/trademarked name found in this story does not belong to me. **

**EPILOGUE**

_April 1, 2009._  
_Hyperfusion Bar._  
_St. Louis, Missouri._  
_8:34 PM._

_This was the night of Randy Orton's 29__th__. Surrounding him were his friends and family, the ones who had reserved this top bar in all of Missouri for his surprise birthday party. Lighting all the twenty-nine candles on the round white birthday cake that had 'Happy Birthday, Retard' icing-drawn on it, they all sang him a joyous happy birthday song. That was two hours ago._

_Now, the disco lights gave the white tablecloths a certain glow of blue, red, yellow or green and the dance floor was cramped with people having so much fun dancing to the rhythm of Li'l Mama's Lip Gloss. Drinks were free-flowing but no one was allowed to get drunk because there were kids in the house. Randy's nephews ran around the place with their toy robots and his nieces sat in one corner playing. Everyone was preoccupied. Now, the question was…_

_Why was the birthday celebrant sitting all alone at a big round table, a bottle of beer in one hand and a mind off somewhere else?_

"_Hey, Randy…" the melodic voice of Trish Stratus rang and took Randy out of his reverie. He shifted his gaze to the woman who was carrying her 2-year old hazel-eyed carbon copy on her hip._

"_Oh, hey, Trisha…" he said with a smile as he placed his beer bottle down and stood up. "Hillary! How's my favorite little diva?"_

_The little girl giggled, her wavy brunette locks bouncing at the sides of her face. "I'm a-okay, Unca 'andy. 'appy birthday!" Hillary said as she tore away from her mom's arms and hugged her uncle around the neck for a tight happy birthday hug._

_He wrapped his arms around the little girl's waist and hugged her back. "Aaw… Thanks, baby girl." he said as he kissed her cheek and smiled back at her toothy smile._

"_I wuv you, Unca 'andy…" she said with a slight lisp from her newly-grown teeth._

_He gently ran a hand through her locks and smiled as though they were two of the most innocent people on earth. He gave her a soft Eskimo kiss and replied with, "I love you, too, Ri-ri."_

_The little girl giggled and situated herself on Randy's hip. She looked at her mommy and asked in her high-pitched kiddie voice, "Momma, momma, Unca 'andy's gonna take me to musical, right?"_

_Trish nodded and smiled at the two. She looked at Randy and asked, "So, Randy, you still up for bringing Hillary to the Lyrics musical tomorrow night? If you can't, I'm sure John would lo—"_

"_Of course I'm going to take my baby girl. I promised her months ago that I would take her… And what does Uncle Randy always say?" he asked the little girl on his hip._

"…_that when Unca p'omises, he don' break it!" the little girl said with obvious pride at her dear uncle's words. The two adults laughed in chorus at the little girl and shook their heads at her mimicry of her uncle._

"_Alright, I'll have Hillary ready by six so you can pick her up at the hotel." Trish said with an obvious smile on her face._

_Randy nodded and returned the smile. Hillary suddenly started bouncing up and down on Randy's hip and said, "Momma! I wanna give Unca 'andy the birthday present I made for 'im!"_

_Trish took something from the Louis Vuitton tote she was sporting and handed it to her daughter. It was a brown scrapbook with little cutouts on the front. It wasn't the most artistic thing in the world, but considering that it was done by a two-year old, it was a pretty good job on her part. "Here!" she said to her uncle as she handed him her little homemade present._

_He handed the little girl over to her mom who sat down on a chair and sat down on his own. He took the present from the little girl and smiled as he gently undid the white ribbon that held it closed. He flipped onto the first page and suddenly, the back of his eyes began to well with forcibly unshed tears._

_Believe it or not, on the front page was a picture of him in Riz, wrapped in each other's embrace under the falling autumn leaves with him planting a gentle kiss on her temple. It brought back so many painful memories and subconsciously, his fingers found their way to trace his now dry lips. It was suddenly refreshed in his memory the way her lips, though bloody, felt like heaven against his own._

"_Momma tol' me that you an' that pretty girl wuv each other very much! So, me and momma made that for you! 'cause since you wuv her… you wanna 'member her everyday!" Hillary said happily. "Where is she, anyways, Unca 'andy? How come me don't see her?" she titled her head to the side._

_Randy looked at Trish who merely shrugged. She, too, hadn't really been very approving of the project, but since her daughter was very persistent on the idea, she could do nothing else but agree and help her daughter out. She knew how it would be with Randy since he and Riz had been the talk of the roster for quite sometime because of their little so-called relationship. He suddenly smiled, and she smiled back._

_He looked at the little girl on Trish's lap, smiled sincerely and said, "Baby girl… She's at home. She's at home."_

_The little girl simply nodded and sat there. "D'you like it?" she asked him._

_He smiled and said, "Of course I do, baby girl. Now… Uncle Randy has to go since he has to get sleep. You want me to be all pretty for you tomorrow, right? When we go on our little date?"_

_She giggled and said, "Uh-huh!" she looked at her mom and said, "Momma, let's go, too! Me wanna be all pretty for Unca 'andy tomorrow!"_

_Trish and Hillary left the table to head off to their own hotel room. Trish had to agree, it was getting late and Hillary's curfew was just around the corner, so she decided why don't they go home. They left Randy there, sitting with the toddler's gift in his hands as he stared at it. No, he had gotten over it, right? It was all in the past, wasn't it?_

_Grabbing the bottle of wine nearby, he stood up and left his own birthday celebration. He avoided all eyes and questions and, without a doubt, just wanted to be alone. Holding the bottle and the scrapbook at his sides, he walked away from Hyperfusion, as if he were walking away from reality itself. _

_----------_

**That, my dear friends, is the epilogue for the sequel. Yes, I am making a sequel. Yay me! Haha. Make sure you all read and review, ok? Oh, and review this one, too. Maybe you can help in the making of the sequel. I'll see you guys soon!**

**Thanks to those who have supported the first installment through and through! I hope your support will last until the third installment. (yes, it's planned. but it's up to you after the sequel if you still want it.) I'll see you guys in the next story! Aurevoir!**

**-_veracruzortongal_**


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